The Forehead Girl
by BasedSpoobyPls
Summary: Awkward, shy and uncool, Conrad Ferguson isn't exactly the suavest of guys. Even so, out of the oddest of circumstances, love can blossom - Rated M for language and sexual content. - OC x Ritsu.
1. Forehead meets Forehead

_**Warning!**__ If the idea of __male characters__ in k-on and/or __heterosexual romantic sub-plots__ makes you soil yourself, you best turn back now. If Original Characters make you puke, then once again, you best press that back button._

_I'll be the first to admit I know very little of Japanese culture and traditions outside of what I've seen in anime/manga and TV, and the validity or believability of this story could be extremely low, AND I REALISE THAT._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own K-ON, and never will. I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to the original creator(s)._

_Phew! Okay… let's get this story started. This first chapter will be more or less an introduction of the OC. Sorry if you want more of the K-on girls, but please bear with me for a little bit._

* * *

It was a fairly nice march "winter" in Japan. Looking out of the window of my eerily empty room, I could see there was no snow, no ice, nothing. Whether I could be more alienated from my old country was a tough question.

Canada... oh how I miss you...

If I was in Canada right now… I don't even want to think about it. If I was back home, I'd be getting ready to go on a ski-trip with my friends. I could walk outside and not get strange looks! I could...

Shit. I shouldn't get myself so worked up. Not like things are gonna change anytime soon.

Before I went on another rant, I got up from my bed, and started unpacking some more. I've already been living here awhile, but I've put off unpacking in some bizarre hope that this was some sort of temporary situation.

I knew I was being a selfish brat, but c'mon… Japan? Why did it have to be Japan? I'll admit that it's a beautiful country, and the people here seem polite and reserved; just the way I like it. BUT, all the stories my dad told me about his teaching days, full of xenophobia and insane work ethic were really starting to make me dread my coming day at school. I can only hope that times have changed, or he was just exaggerating.

The school was called Sakuragaoka. It was a pretty normal school, and it's western architecture definitely made me feel at home when i first visited. I wasn't exactly looking forward to having to jump into a Japanese curriculum, though. I've had my own share of trouble with the workload back home, and I can't imagine this was going to be easier. I can only take solace in the fact that my dad's incessant Japanese lessons, as annoying as they were, had prepared me fairly well.

...For those wondering how I got here, well, you best leave all logic at the door. My father, who had previously lived in Japan as an English language teacher, had become great friends with the school nurse, named Akane Sato. They apparently got along great, but nothing romantic ever became of it. When my dad came back to Canada, he got married and I was born. Then, when I was quite young, my dad caught my mother cheating and there was a nasty divorce. I don't remember much of my real mom, but me and my dad spent many years together very happily.

Soon enough, however, he started talking about wanting to "settle down". In time, I learnt that this meant he was ready to get married again. Long story short, he reconnected with Akane, and after some romantic visits, they decided to tie the knot. The two had some history, and my dad was nothing short of ecstatic when he shared the news with me. Unfortunately for us, Akane was very resistant to leaving for Canada, as she wanted to keep her nursing job in Japan. My dad, after some time mulling it over, bit the bullet and packed his bags. I ended up coming with him, as my dad wasn't too keen on leaving me to my own devices.

As a result, here I am in the land of the rising sun! This... wasn't exactly what I'd wanted, but seeing my dad so worked up over this girl eventually led to me to decide come with him. I've never left my home country, so this was something new... and frankly terrifying.

All that aside, my new step-mom is nice, even though her grasp of English is fairly crude. She gets along really well with my dad, though, and they seem genuinely happy together. She even made one of those fancy 'bento boxes' for my first day of school.

Did I mention it contains seafood? I fucking hate seafood.

...Anyway, after unpacking, I get dressed and start walking to school. We live fairly close to Sakuragaoka, so I only have to enjoy a few stares on my walk there. And these aren't the type of stares you want, either.

As far as guys go, I'm not exactly what you'd call attractive. I'm tall for my age, at 6'2, and have some... odd facial features. My grey-blue eyes were unusually far apart and slightly slanted. With them being adorned by my thick eyebrows, I pretty much look like i'm permanently ticked off. My forehead is also particularly big, which i try to cover up by flattening my bangs down; I had grown out my messy head of dark brown hair just for this purpose.

Needless to say, I wasn't exactly a textbook foreigner, and most people tended to avoid interacting with me on my walk to school. I guess it makes no difference, seeing as i'm a total dork in the first place; it might be for the best that I don't attract people.

Annoyed with my usual low self-esteem, I start to fiddle with my tie. I've always wanted to wear one of these fancy uniforms, but this tie is really a pain to wear. I suppose it's nice that I don't have to rely on my poor taste in clothing, though. If my clothing choices were left up to me, then I'd_ really_ be a fish out of water.

* * *

Once I arrived at my school, I was greeted by the principal and the student council president. I was arriving a few days after the enrollment ceremony due to an untimely flu, so they showed me the way to my classroom. I couldn't help but get more and more nervous as I approached our destination. Thanks to my shitty immune system, I'd lost all hope of joining the class normally like everyone else...

Ah, who am I kidding. With the way I look, there's no way in hell I'd avoid being scrutinized. I just hope they don't make me introduce myself...

As we waited outside the classroom, my new teacher, Miss Sawako, eventually caught notice of me. Excusing herself from the class, she comes outside to greet me.

"You must be Conrad-san!" She says to me slowly and politely, to ensure I understood.

"Uh... yes. Sorry for missing the first few days." I bow deeply, as my father often reminded me to do.

"It's fine! Please come inside and introduce yourself." She says, smiling gently at me.

Fuck. The thought of being the center of attention makes me cringe, but I guess I'll look even weirder if I refuse.

Walking into the classroom, It's hard not to be put off by the murmuring erupting from the other students. I guess they were getting a good look at me. I almost feel like apologizing to the class, for not fulfilling any preconceived fantasies of a handsome and dashing foreigner.

Taking a deep breath, I try to quickly conceive of something normal to say to avoid any sort of embarrassment.

"Hi... my name is Conrad. I moved here from Canada, and I'll be living in Japan... at least for the remainder of high school. My hobbies are ice hockey, reading, and playing the bass guitar. I hope to become friends with all of you in the future." I said with an obvious nervousness.

Perfect! Not too weird, good pacing; nice and _normal_. I was understandably confused when I looked around the class and was met with odd stares from the other students. Did i say something weird?

"Uh, Conrad-san?" the teacher asks me with a smile.

"Yes, sensei?"

"Could you repeat that again, but this time in Japanese? I don't think everyone was ready for that…"

...Shit. No wonder that came out so easily.

I could hear many stifled laughs and giggles among my classmates. Even taking extra precaution on my Japanese, my second introduction was sloppy, as I was still a bit embarrassed at my mistake.

"Thanks, Conrad-san. You can go ahead and take the empty seat near the window." Sawako motions towards the back of the class, looking a little sorry for me and my fumbling ways.

All the embarrassment was worth it, however, when I followed Miss Sawako's gesture to my seat. Not only did the window have an awesome view of the schoolyard, but I was sitting right beside perhaps the cutest girl I had ever seen. Her hair was a beautiful light brown, and her face carried a look of confidence and aloofness. But what really caught my eye was her forehead!

...Look, I don't have a_ fetish_ or anything, but I don't think I've ever seen a forehead as big as mine. For years I've tried to cover it with my hair or a hat; always seeing it as one of my worse features. This girl, however, managed to display it for the world to see and_ still_ pulled it off elegantly.

I've fancied the occasional girl back in Canada, but isn't this what they call a soulmate? I quickly shake my head. I'm getting way ahead of myself...

"Aw jeez. Of course I had to sit next to the prettiest fuckin' girl... I'm totally gonna screw this up..." I mumble to my self, burying my face in my hands. It turns out I wasn't as quiet as I thought; peeking out from my hands, I saw that the girl was currently looking straight at me, her face full of curiosity.

"Sorry... were you talking to me?" she said with the _cutest goddamn face_ I've ever seen. "I'm not very good with English..."

Great, so not only did she catch me talking to myself, now she wants to talk to me. I can barely talk to girls as it is, but with my current Japanese level, I'd be lucky if I talked my way out of a paper bag!

"N-No, I was just saying..." I mumbled, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks. I couldn't think of the proper words at all. "It's nothing, I just..."

"What?" she asked, sounding half impatient and half curious. "Can you speak up?"

"...I was just thinking... you have a _really_ big forehead" I smiled like an idiot. There we go, Conrad. A full and comprehensible Japanese sentenc-

WAIT. WHAT DID I JUST FUCKING SAY? THAT'S THE BEST THING I COULD COME UP WITH?

"W-what?" She hisses, waiting for a response; you know, something that might make me seem like _not _an asshole. Unfortunately for me, I was so dumbfounded by my own stupidity that I just sat there in silence. As a result, she simply turns her eyes back to the front of class, her cheeks puffed out slightly.

Needless to say, she looked PISSED. And who could blame her? I know all to well what it's like to have a billboard attached to your face. If I were her, I'd knock my fuckin' light's out! There's some pretty shitty ways to make a first impression, but I feel hard pressed to think of one worse than that whopper of an introduction.

I was all but certain that I was gonna screw up with this girl, but even_ I_ thought I could at least last one_ class_ without fucking up. Even for me, this was abysmal...

* * *

For the rest of the class, I tried to focus at the lesson at hand, but I could barely keep up with what the teacher was saying in the first place, and I still felt really bad for the girl next to me. I was trying to think of ways to fix this situation, but my feeble Japanese certainly wasn't going to help. Before I knew it, the class was over.

The forehead girl walked over to another equally cute girl with straight black hair. As the two started fussing over some sheet of paper, I soon found myself creepily trying to listen in to their conversation. What the heck were they doing?

My stalking was all in vain, however, as as someone clears their throat in front of me, grabbing my attention.

Looking up, there was a skinny boy with large and thick glasses. I'm not going to lie; he looked nerdy to the max.

"Hello, Yankee-san" The skinny boy announces, giving me a crooked smile.

I have no clue why this dude is talking to me. I honestly thought I'd scared everyone off with my fairly strange introduction. I guess birds of a feather flock together...

"Yankee?" I reply, confused

"Yes you, Gaijin." He repeats, as if that would help my confusion.

I never thought someone would approach me during the first day, let alone so aggressively. Maybe the whole Japanese xenophobia thing is bullshit. Then again, he was simply calling me Yankee and Gaijin, even though I had announced my name earlier. This guy was only a few words in, and he was already starting to piss me off...

"I have a name." I respond harshly, not able to completely hide my annoyance.

He continues to stare innocently, though, clearly drawing a blank.

"Conrad. Conrad Ferguson."

"R-right. Conrad. My name is Tanaka Hayashi. I guess you can call me Tanaka, since you foreigners go straight to a first name basis, right? Anyway, You look like a nice guy! I have no friends here, and you don't either, right?" the boy sputtered out a mile a minute, while pushing up his glasses. "Logically, we should be friends, right?"

"W-well, of course I don't have any friends... I just moved here from-" I say nervously, before being interrupted.

"Me too! I just transferred here from Hokkaido. Let's be friends, alright?"

I was taken aback, and even a little creeped out by his assertiveness, but hell... I'll take what I can get. Ever since my unfortunate exchange with that forehead girl, the prospect of gaining friends here was getting less realistic by the minute.

"...Alright." I said, seriously having nothing else to say.

"S-so anyway, I was thinking about joining a certain club…" Tanaka goes of on a rant, which I admittedly had no intention of listening to. My eyes were too busy wandering not-so-innocently back to the two cute girls talking nearby.

They were leaving the classroom. As they start to walk away, I see the paper they were examining earlier get knocked off the desk as they moved their bags. Neither of them noticed as it floated down to the ground, and they both left obliviously; the forehead girl laughing heartily all the while.

"Excuse me... Tanaka, was it?" I said to the boy, cutting him off; he was still talking to me. I feel a little bad, but it's not like I'd be able to keep up with him, given the language barrier.

The boy looks surprised as I got up from my desk.

"So... will you consider joining as well?" he says, looking a bit nervous. "I know it's probably not your thing, but..."

I suddenly realize that I was supposed to have been listening up to this point. Not something one should have to remember, really, but I'm not exactly great at social etiquette, as you can probably already tell.

"Uh...yeah, sure" I said half-assed, not knowing what I just agreed to. I guess I could always chalk it up to miscommunication later...

Walking over to the cute girls' desk, I find that the forgotten paper was... a club application form... it was fully filled out for the creation of... the Keion or 'light music' club, whatever the hell _that_ is. Upon further study, it turns out the due date for handing the form in in was this afternoon; a deadline that lied only an hour from now.

This was just my luck! Returning this form could be a good chance to apologize to the forehead girl!

I hurried out the classroom after gathering my stuff, but they were nowhere to be seen once I got into the halls. Given my lack of familiarity with the school, going on some wild goose chase didn't seem too attractive. Sighing, I return back to my desk to eat the bento box my step-mom so graciously made me this morning.

Fucking seafood...

* * *

After forcing down my lunch, I decided It'd be easier turn the form in myself. I at least knew where the student council room was from the student president, and this way I could avoid having to find and confront that forehead girl. It was a cowards method, but I have to admit that's _always_ been my modus operandi.

I'll just apologize later... right?

After a few misdirections here and there, I finally got on path to the student council room.

On my way there, I studied the page that the girls left behind. It was supposed to be handed in by the president or manager of the club, and I saw it fall out of the forehead girl's bag. That made her name... Ritsu Tainaka, according to the sheet.

Jesus, now I _really_ feel like some sort of stalker...

...Speaking of clubs, I guess I should join one. The student president told me it was mandatory, and finding people with common interests might help me start making friends. I think briefly about writing my name on the keion sheet as a member, it is a _music _club after all, and I knew how to play the bass guitar. But that just sounded creepy to me... besides, she's already pissed at me anyway; I don't know how she'd react if I butted my way into her club.

After finding the council room, I hand in the sheet to the girl sitting at the desk. It was still lunch break, and she was chewing her food obnoxiously loud. I thought the Japanese were supposed to be renown for their manners... oh well, it takes all types, I guess.

"Uh.. I'm here to hand this form in. It's for the..." I announce, before stopping awkwardly to search for the right words. Damn this language barrier...

The girl wipes her hands on her skirt before taking the form from me and studies it carefully.

"The light music club? Interesting... thanks." the councilor said between bites, giving me a strange stare.

there was an awkward pause, as she looked over the paper some more.

"Are you American?" she said, glancing up at me. I felt a little uneasy, as if she was sizing me up.

"Uh, not exactly... but close enough." I just wanted to get out of here. I glance to the door as if to make this point clear.

"Hmm?" she hums, looking bored.

"...Never mind. If you... uh, see the president, could you... tell her I'm sorry for what I said?" I say, fumbling with my words a bit.

The girl stared blankly at me, before her eyes finally focused. I _think_ I got the message across?

"The president? What's your name?" She asks, confused.

"Uh... it's Conrad Ferguson." I reply, glancing yet again at the door.

Why she needed my name was beyond me. I guess so this Ritsu girl would know who sent the apology. As impersonal as this was, at least I didn't have to rely on my awkward social skills.

"Alright... thank you Conrad_-san_" The councilor replies, putting emphasis on the honorific, as if to draw attention to how weird it sounded with my western name.

More than happy to get away from this girl, I took my leave without delay.

As I walk out, I feel a little confused as to just what happened in there. That girl didn't seem all there. Eating on the job, barely paying attention... How did she get elected to council?

Disregarding the specifics, I just hope she understood what I said about the apology. Apologizing directly to this 'Tainaka-san' myself, especially after a day like today, just seems like a bad idea.

Man, I'm such a coward...

"Whatever... I gotta think about clubs" I mumble aloud, as I walked back to my class.

* * *

_Back in the student council room_

"Who was that?" a studious girl asked to the councillor manning the front desk.

"Oh, it's you, Nodoka-chan. It was that new Yankee student. His first day here, and hes already applying as the _president_ of the Keion! Isn't that rich?"

Nodoka looks over the sheet curiously, and soon shoves it back into the girls face.

"But Urabe... his name isn't even on the sheet! It says here that Ritsu Tainaka is the president!" Nodoka said

"Well... he kept talking about something involving the president. I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying; his Japanese was horrendous!"

"You should be more diligent, Urabe! You don't want to get trouble with the president, especially this early into the year!" Nodoka scowls the indifferent girl.

"Look here, the form clearly says the _president_ of the club must hand in the form by the deadline. He came to hand it in because he WAS the new president. Just change the names!" Urabe rebuts lazily

"Well... alright…" Nodoka said, worried.

* * *

_And so, that's it for the first chapter… WUTS GONNA HAPPEN OH NOES_

_I know, not much of the girls, but the next chapter will be full of them, I promise!_

_Please comment on how I can improve my writing, because I know it's sloppy (this is my first fan fiction after all!). Let me know if it's too fast, slow, short, long, WHATEVER._

_See you guys for the next chapter!_


	2. Meeting the Club

_Thanks Shun-0 for the review! I'll do my best to keep everyone interested!_

_Once again, if you have anything you feel is missing in the story; feel free to leave it in the review._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own K-ON, and never will. I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to the original creator(s)._

* * *

"YEOW!" My voice echoes throughout the halls of our high school. "Mio, that huurt~"

I begin to rub rub the newly formed bump on my head, courtesy of Mio. My usual dramatic whimpering follows, trying and find some sympathy in her... but she was having none of it.

Mio had her hands on her hips, and was staring at me sternly. You know, when she tries her best to seem angry like this, I always had a hard time taking her seriously.

"WELL, WHAT DO YOU _MEAN_ YOU FORGOT TO HAND IN THE CLUB APPLICATION?" She yells, causing nearby students to jump in surprise.

I scratch the back of her head, winking playfully at my best friend.

"It's no problem… I'll just hand it in, now! The due date can't be that strict…"

"Ritsu..." Mio sighs, giving me a heart-breaking glance.

I being to search through my bag, an aloof grin plastered on my face; it was the best I could do to keep her calm. As I dug further into the schoolbag, however, I could feel my grin become more and more forced. Where the _heck_ did I put that application form?

Looking up at the impatient Mio, there was an awkward silence between us. She knew what had happened all too well...

"Are you sure… you don't have it?" I ask sweetly.

"RITSU!" Mio yells desperately "We went through all that trouble to get four members, and now we wont have a clubroom, or get fundinggg?"

I could clearly see tears forming on the corners of her eyes. Why the heck was Mio so damn cute?

"It's okay my princess!" I proclaim, latching onto Mio's Arm. As I try to coddle her, despite her best efforts at escaping, I actually get an idea.

"Hey, What about Yui's friend? She's on the student council, and I'm sure if we ask nice, she could bend the rules for us just a _tiny_ bit"

Mio looks back at me, looking... unimpressed.

"I should have joined the literature club..." Mio replies, sniffling.

* * *

Once we got to the student council room, we found Nodoka and pleaded our case. Yui's friend didn't seem to care all that much, though.

"Application? Your president handed it in yesterday" Nodoka said, confused.

Mio and I sigh in relief. I feel a stragne sense of pride; I have absolutely _no_ memory of handing in that form... had I just zoned out?

"I did? I did, didn't I?" I point at Mio's face triumphantly, trying my best not to let my confusion show.

"No, I mean Conrad-san. He came and handed in the form yesterday... isn't he the president?"

I look over at Mio for an explanation, who was also clearly confused.

"Conrad?" I say, now looking at Nodoka; I was drawing a complete blank. "Who the _heck_ is that?"

"That's the new transfer student, from Canada." Mio says, glaring at me. "He arrived here yesterday! Have you already forgotten?"

"Wait! You mean that funny lookin' JERK?" I reply, suddenly making the connection. Out of all people, why was _he_ involved?

Mio and Nodoka look at me strangely; probably because I was so quick to anger.

"What's got you so worked up about him?" Nodoka raises an eyebrow.

"H-he called my forehead big!" I say, crossing my arms and pouting. As the words leave my mouth, even I feel a bit embarrassed at how petty that sounded.

"Well, Ritsu... it's not like you're making it any smaller by wearing your hair like that..." Mio sighs, as she and Nodoka take a look at my forehead. I was displaying it proudly with my headband as usual.

I raise my hands, covering my forehead up in hopeless defense. This was so embarrassing... That dumbass' comment yesterday had me all self-conscious...

"S-shut up! There's nothing wrong with my forehead! I'm not gonna hide it just cause some... _jerk foreigner _think it looks ugly!" I spew out, turning away from the two girls.

"Hold on. First you say he called it big, now it's _ugly_? Which one is it?" Mio says, cocking her head to the side in disbelief.

Ah... stupid Mio...

"W-who cares about the specifics! You don't just point stuff out carelessly like that, okay?" I defend myself, pointing sharply at Mio. "Girls are sensitive!"

Mio squeaks in surprise at my pointed finger.

"Besides..." I continue, straightening her headband. "If that idiot thinks he can just take over our Keion without asking, he's got another thing coming! Let's go, Mio! We're paying this Conrad guy a visit!"

AS I grab Mio's hand and lead her out the council room, Nodoka calls out to us.

"Try not to scare the new guy _too_ much, okay_?"_

"Not making any promises!"

* * *

**_*** Back with Conrad ***_**

Argh… I didn't get enough sleep...

I stretch my arms lazily, trying to get some energy back into my body. It failed completely; not that it had much chance of working in the first place.

It's not like I didn't try to catch some Z's last night. It's just... that damned forehead girl was on my brain all night!

You have to understand, I barely talk to women. I'm usually the eccentric geek who keeps to himself, so you have to understand my difficulty adapting to this situation. I had no clue what I was going to do about that Tainaka girl. Was there anyway to recover from such a rude introduction?

...Then again, it's not like it matters. I'm sure the word has spread among the girls about me making fun of Ritsu. Usually when someone transfers to another school, they try to change their image. I wasn't really going for the whole "asshole foreigner" persona, but I'll work with it, I guess…

My eyes were having a hard time staying open, but boy, when I looked up from my desk to see Ritsu and her dark-haired friend standing awkwardly in front of me; my exhaustion was suddenly the least of my worries.

"Y-Yes?" I stutter.

Shit, was she about to chew me out in front of the class? Was I finished from the get-go?

"Oy, Conrad-o or whatever... you mind telling me how you got your hands on our club application form?"

Ah... a fair question. No chance in hell I'm telling her the truth, though. I already had enough bad qualities attached to me; I'm not about to add stalker to that list.

"I-I found it on the floor of the classroom! I saw that the deadline was soon, so I h-handed it in for you..." I explain, fiddling with my tie nervously.

The forehead girl crosses her arms.

"Well...That's great and all, but what's this about you being the president, huh?"

"P-president? Who, me?" I reply, raising my hands in surrender.

Placing her hands on my desk, she gives me the stink eye, clearly wanting an explanation from me. It was too bad I was frozen in fear; the girl that I was currently crushing on was much closer to me than I could comfortably take.

"Ritsu, be nice! He's new here!" the black haired girl whispered, barely audible from my distance. "I'm sure it was just a mistake."

Well at least her friend seemed reasonable. I try making eye contact with her, but she diverted her eyes almost immediately once I did. She was obviously a shy person, which I found odd, given her good looks.

I never really considered that getting myself involved like this would have just brought up more questions, rather than putting an end to all this embarrassment. Ah well, putting aside this 'president' business for now, this was probably my best chance to apologize. And I'm not talking about some half-assed, roll your eyes, semi-apology! I might not get this chance again; it's time to apologize... JAPANESE STYLE!

I stand up quickly from my desk, causing the black-haired girl jump back. Slapping my arms against my legs, I commence to bow my head as far as I could.

That's how the Japanese do it, right?

"GOMEN-NASA-" I yell, before a loud clunk cuts me off. A loud clunk... and blinding pain.

In case you were wondering, yes, that clunk was the sound of my forehead colliding with my desk.

I suppose it helps to think these things through first. I'm not gonna lie, it hurt like a bitch and I was feeling kinda dizzy.

I tried to recover my composure, as I rub my searing forehead. Looking back at the forehead girl, she looked like she was shaking in anger, about to explode. I searched my memory banks frantically. Wasn't that the correct way to apologize?

Well, she exploded all right... In laughter, right in my face. If my head crashing against the desk wasn't enough to attract the attention of the class, her seemingly endless outburst sure as hell did the job.

As her giggles fill the classroom, I feel the ever familiar heated feeling in my face. I guess it wasn't enough for me to just embarrass myself in front of Ritsu; the whole class had to follow suite.

"S-Sorry about the, uh, forehead comment yesterday" I said, my voice getting small near the end. The whole class was watching this display, after all, even the teacher.

"**MY** FOREHEAD? HAHAHA! LOOK AT YOURS! IT'S ALL RED AND AHAHAHAHA" she said, or at least tried to, between the fits of laughter.

"Tainaka-san! Akiyama-san! Quiet down and find your seats!" yelled Miss Sawako. "Are you okay, Conrad-san?"

Ritsu was oblivious to the fact that class was starting, and upon finally tuning in, she stifled her laughter and took her seat next to me.

What followed, was a class full of hopeless attempts to explain my apology further. Ritsu, however, had her own plans. She couldn't even look at my face without staring straight at my bruised forehead and giggling.

While this wasn't exactly the apology I'd imagined, it at least improved the mood between us.

Nothing like a little bit of slapstick humor to get a girls attention...

* * *

After class was over, Ritsu and Mio (to whom I was finally introduced to properly) sat down with me after class for a little talk. I apologized for what felt for the hundredth time for the forehead comment, and told them that despite my interest in joining their club wasn't unfounded, I never intended to take the position of president, let alone write on the sheet at all.

While Mio was satisfied with this explanation, Ritsu was a different story. She had calmed down from the all the laughter, which was nice, but that unfortunately meant she was back to being painfully indifferent about my presence.

"We'll let you meet the rest of the club, but you're not accepted as a member yet!" Ritsu said, crossing her arms "That decision is up to me, since _I'm_ the president."

"Yeah, Yeah..." I sighed. This girl may be really cute and all, but her attitude was a different story.

In all honesty, I doubt that I would even want to join this club. Music clubs back home always required a lot of commitment and practice, and I really preferred to work at my own pace. Besides, since these two cute girls seem to be advertising for their new club desperately, I could only imagine the amount of sleazy guys joining up, hoping for some 'private lessons' from the girls or some shit... But then again, how am I different? The only reason I'm here is because of Ritsu...

Needless to say, when I entered the club room, I was taken aback.

Let's start with what I DIDN'T see. No instruments, No practicing, No annoying music teacher, and most importantly NO OTHER GUYS. What I DID see was two other girls, drinking TEA and GOSSIPING.

"We might have a new member, everyone!" Mio announces, as she walks over to the two other girls... who were also pretty cute, I might add.

I'm once again frozen in fear as said cute girls were now staring at me expectantly.

"Uh... yeah." I begin awkwardly, feeling a bit shy around all these pretty girls. "My name is Conrad-"

"I'd like to put emphasis on the MIGHT part, by the way." Ritsu adds, cutting me off. "We still need to do a proper screening of your motives, after all..."

"My m-motives?" I ask, bewildered. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ritsu doesn't even bother answering me, following Mio over to the table. Looks like this girl has no problem holding a grudge... just my luck.

Sighing heavily, I take a look around the room yet again in disbelief.

"Uh... so, where are the other members?" I asked, feeling borderline suspicion; This was just too good to be true.

"There are none. It's just us four..." Mio responds sheepishly, sitting down with the other girls.

Hold on... I could be the _only guy_ in a club of four cute girls? Let me consider this carefully...

While I was fantasizing in my head, one of the girls, with short brown hair, gets up and shakes my hand.

"Hi! My name is Hirasawa Yui! Pleased to meet you!" she said, looking at me with her big brown eyes.

"C-Cute..." I whisper in english, under my breath.

"Pardon?" She asks, giving me a slight smile.

Her voice was so sweet It was almost sickening. Of course, I was also a little weirded out as she proceeded to introduce me to her guitar... I guess this is what they call a textbook airhead.

"Conrad-san, come eat cake with us!" Yui calls to me, pulling out a chair at the table.

Was this some sort of heaven on earth?

"Okay~" I coo gently, floating over to the table. Suddenly remembering Ritsu's presence, I see that shes giving me a dirty look. Clearing my throat, I adjust my tie and put on my best serious face.

"So, where do I sign up?" I said, grinning like a madman.

"...You're a pervert, you know that? You see a bunch of girls in skirts and your jaw drops open." Ritsu said, before imitating what I supposedly just looked like, mouth agape and everything.

Shit... I need to counter-attack quickly before my image is ruined by this witch!

"O-Of course not! I l-love playing bass! My interest in this club is p-purely musical! In fact... I'm disappointed that you girls aren't practicing right now!" I said, crossing my arms, in a hopeless attempt to impress her.

"You play Bass? Me too!" Mio said, unusually excited, at least for her. "Would you be able to play for us? You can use my bass!"

"I dunno... that's kinda..." I say quietly, taking a sudden interest in the floorboards.

"Pleease!" Mio says. "I've never met another bass player my age before!"

"Yeah Romeo, go ahead and play something for the cute lady!" Ritsu teases me, nudging me in the side. She was taking way too much pleasure in my awkwardness. I guess I deserve it, given my less than polite introduction to her.

Suddenly i remember my convenient trump card.

"Well, I actually need a left handed bass, so I guess you'll have to wait..." I trail off nervously.

I _really_ didn't want to play. I'm not very good at bass, although I can play some simple songs. You know that stuff I said before about working at my own pace? Turns out that doesn't get you very far when you're a chronic procrastinator... go figure.

"No way, really?" Mio said, grinning wide. "I didn't even think about that, but I'm actually left handed too!"

WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT ARE ODDS? I WILL GET A CALCULATOR OUT RIGHT FUCKING NOW AND CALCULATE THE ODDS!

Sighing, I decide to resign to my fate. I hope their expectations aren't too high...

"Well a-alright, I guess.." I say slowly, taking the bass guitar from Mio's hands.

So I played. Have you ever heard "Sunshine of Your Love" by Cream? Sure, it's no YYZ, and I'm sure as hell no Geddy Lee, but I TRY.

It was a fairly sloppy performance, to say the least. Mio looked disappointed, her smile looking awfully forced.

"Well... that was... good. Are you a beginner?" Mio asks me

I chuckle. "You could tell?" sighing, I put down the bass. "...It was nice meeting you all, but I don't think I'm at your level..." I hand Mio's bass back and start to gather my stuff. I was clearly slouching, and perhaps I was being a little over-dramatic... but c'mon, I was essentially just shown a glimpse of heaven, only to be rejected at the pearly gates.

"Hey, w-wait!" A voice calls out. Turning around, it was Ritsu.

"What, do you want to make fun of my bass playing too?" I say, maybe a little too harshly. "I'll pass, thanks."

"Are you really gonna give up just like that? What about your 'purely musical' intentions? You were all excited to joining the club before. Was it _really_ just so you could chase skirts? And just when I thought you were better than that..." The girl proclaims, shaking her head.

Y'know, As glad as I am that she's encouraging me, can't she drop the pervert thing?

"And what's with all this 'I'm not at your level' crap? Yui's so bad at guitar, she can't even play a song yet!" Ritsu continues, pointing over at the girl.

"Hey!" Yui yells back, pouting.

"Besides... Mio can teach you bass! You seem to be a decent guy, and you're funny... I honestly think you'd fit in here!" Ritsu finishes, shrugging.

Ah, there it is. That familiar pulling of the heartstrings... albeit a little harder than I'm used to. This... might I have absolutely _no_ memory of handing in that form... had I just zoned out? be a little more than just a crush.

"Oh, T-Thanks" I say, obviously blushing. "If you're okay with it, I'd like to join..."

"F-fine." Ritsu mutters, crossing her arms. "Just don't get used to the nice treatment. You're b-bottom of the totem pole, so you're basically our gopher, alright?"

"A-alright." I chuckle a bit, though I can't help but wonder if she was being serious.

"But... It's good to have you on board, I guess." Ritsu admits, smiling if only slightly at me.

Yui suddenly enters the frame, grinning slyly.

"Hmm.. hey, Is it just me, or is Ritsu blushing?" Yui says, looking to the other girls. "I think Ritsu might have a wittle cwush~"

Ritsu's face went a deep red, which I'm sure accented my own _rouge visage_ quite nicely.

"SHUT UP, YUI!" Ritsu shouts, as she chases Yui around the room. "I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH ON THIS IDIOT, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

While we all watch the spectacle, laughing, I feel a poke to my shoulder. I turn to see that the fourth girl in the group had approached me. She hands me some cake and tea, giving me a gentle smile. Who was this angel?

"Hello, my name is Kotobuki Tsumugi. I don't think we've met?" she smiles.

I'm not an expert in Japanese, but even I could tell she was being extremely formal. It made me really uncomfortable, but I decide to go along with it.

"No, we haven't. My name's Conrad Ferguson. Nice to meet you too!" I extend my hand to her.

Tsumugi grabs my hand with what felt like a death grip. Something was definitely up.

"By the way Conrad-san~, I hope you don't have any... impure intentions with Ricchan. If you make her cry, I won't forgive you!" she said, sweetly.

Oh.. that's what's up... and yeah, she said it SWEETLY. How is that even possible? She was threatening me... and yet I still feel welcome? WHO IS THIS SHE-DEVIL?

"S-Sure thing... Kotobuki-san" I said. I didn't want to inquire any further. I had a feeling if I did, my family would never find my body. So I walked away in silence.

I sat down at the table, and ate my cake in silence. Mio soon came up to me and offered me a handshake.

"W-welcome to the Light Music Club! I guess you're technically already a member, but know you're always welcome here." Mio said, with a fairly awkward smile. I could tell she still wasn't comfortable around me, but I appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

"The light music club, huh..." I reply fruitlessly, as Mio walks away.

Looking around the room, I see Yui talking to her guitar, Ritsu tending to a bump on her head (thanks to the usually gentle Mio), and Tsumugi... well she was staring at me eerily from across the room... I have a feeling should stop staring myself...

You know, despite now being in this wonderful club with four beautiful girls, I could already tell this was going to be a _long_ semester...

* * *

_Thats up for chapter 2. I tried to incorporate more humor, and give more personality to my OC. I hope you enjoyed it._

_Please review it if you can, i always enjoy feedback!_

_See you for the next chapter._

_LOVE AND PEACE _


	3. Midterms and Butts

_I'd like to give a big 'thank you' to: __**Tastychainsaws **__and __**Uzu-kun235**__for the feedback. I always appreciate critiques, and knowing how I'm doing really motivates me to keep writing._

_**Disclaimer:**__I don't own K-ON, and never will. I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to the original creator(s)._

* * *

It's been several months since enrolling at Sakuragaoka High, and I have to admit I'm having fun. I've got to know some interesting people, and the classes (despite the change of language) haven't been THAT bad. Of course, that might just be due to me constantly begging Mio for help... but that's neither here nor there.

I wouldn't say I'm on that much better terms with Ritsu, either, but I could at least say I was making progress. The problem was that even though I was spending a considerable amount of time with her each day, I haven't really graduated past being the butt-end of constant teasing and name-calling.

Overall, it wasn't all bad. Hell, I get to drink tea with cute girls on a daily basis! Any guy would envy my position. On top of this, despite my anxieties, I was at least I was _passing_ my courses…

...well, WAS passing.

Looking down at the midterm that was just handed to me, I was sweating like crazy. Why did it have to be all in Japanese?

"Dumb question" I mutter to myself, shaking my head.

Taking a deep breath, I started looking over the page.

"No worries, Conrad. You know this stuff... Social Studies? Pfft, big deal." I whisper to my self, mentally pumping my self up.

Despite my best attempt at self-confidence, with each question that I read, what little hope I had for this midterm started to disappear entirely. Scratching my head furiously, I tried desperately to shake any hidden knowledge from the corners of my brain. I doubt this had any effect, but at this point, I was willing to try almost anything.

Apparently Ritsu found my dilemma funny as hell (as she always seems to do), as I could hear her snickering from her seat next to me.

"Your eyes are as wide as saucers!" she whispers to me, grinning evilly. "You didn't study, did you?"

"And what, _you_ did?" I say, hissing back.

Leaning back into her seat, Ritsu stretches dramatically, letting out a hearty sigh.

"I was at Yui's house all week with the other girls, helping her prepare!" She says, giving me a peace sign. "I'm going to ace this!"

While I'm sure she thought she was fooling me with her confident smile, I had already been told by Mio about their little study group last night.

"Yeah, Mio told me. She also said you were fooling around the whole time, and even got kicked out of the room like a little kid!" I say, smiling victoriously.

"T-that's none of your business!" she rebuts, blushing.

"Face it, Ritsu. You're just as screwed as I am!" I taunt her, before the teacher coughs sharply, letting us know that this was not the time to bickering.

I could tell Ritsu wanted to continue our battle of wits, but she decides against it as she turns to her test. It seems I got the last laugh, for once.

My brief feeling of triumph was shortly replaced with that of dread, when the bell rang throughout the halls, and my pencil hit the paper…

* * *

Welp… I didn't pass. Big surprise there...

Looking down at my now corrected midterm, I was walking up the stairs to the clubroom. While this certainly wasn't a result I was proud of, it was at least good enough to keep me afloat.

The big "41%" written in red pen seemed to be mocking me. To me, it was equivalent to the teacher writing "Sorry, you're a dumbass", right on my paper. He might as well have; it's not like I could feel any worse at this point. Even my lack of skill with Japanese was only so much of an excuse, when the teachers have been more than happy to accommodate me by taking it easy. This... as much as I hate to admit, was purely due to my laziness.

Needless to say, I was having some trouble adjusting to the curriculum. Sure, Math was simple enough, and English was a breeze, but my procrastinating nature and laid back attitude did not fit well with Japanese society. Back home it was bad enough, but here people even go to cram school, and what I'd consider my usual homework time is eaten up by club practices. It was like trying to jam an elephant into a keyhole! My marks were in the shitter as a result.

As I arrived at the clubroom, I could already hear the giggling and fun radiating from the room like some sort of disease… why are they always so damn happy? There's no way Ritsu or especially Yui did better than me!

Opening the door caused the room to go quiet. They obviously wanted to hear my result, given how much I was dreading the midterms arrival these past few weeks. Despite their curiosity, there's no way I'm gonna give them the pleasure of seeing this. I stuff the test into my bag, and try my best seem aloof.

"So... how was the test, _Canada-san_?" Ritsu said, in an especially annoying tone. _That_ was a new nickname, albeit not a very creative one.

"I passed." I said simply, as I sat down at the table. I would indulge nothing more.

As much as I want them to leave it at that, It's pretty obvious that they know I'm hiding something. I guess feeling some sympathy for me, Mio resumes the conversation that was going on before I arrived. As thankful as I was for this, even I was curious about how the others did. Like I said before, It's not like my result can be that bad compared to an airhead like Yui... Maybe confirming this will help me feel better.

Time to test the waters.

"So... how did you do, Ritsu-san?" I said, as nicely as I could. This ended up coming out way more awkward than I expected. Probably should have toned it down...

"Eh... I got a 67. What's up with you?" Ritsu said, raising an eyebrow at my sudden attention to formality.

I can feel my face twist in disgust at the number. Ritsu obviously picks up on this, as she leans towards me with her usual smirk; at least usual when dealing with me.

"I beat you… _didn't I_?" Ritsu said, her voice dripping with condescension.

I paused awkwardly, trying to think of a comeback. There was none, at least short of lying. And as attractive as that sounded, I knew I had to be careful with lying around Ritsu; if she found out, she would never let me hear the end of it.

Trying to shift the focus of the conversation, I pointed the spotlight at Hirasawa. Sorry Yui, but this is for the greater good of humanity... or just me being selfish.

"And what about you, Yui-san?" I say, hoping for some good news.

As the hazel haired girl starts to dig into her bag, I feel like clasping my hands in prayer. C'mon, oh great airhead goddess Yui, please don't let me down.

"I got 100%!" She chimes in, slapping her test proudly on the wooden table.

Now, obviously, I didn't believe her one bit. But then I looked down at the midterm on the table...

The number 100 did indeed grace the front of the test, along with a big smiley face. I blink multiple times, as if I was waiting for one of the zeroes to fall of the page. Alas, the perfect score was all too real.

"Oh, for Christ's sake!" I yell, grasping the sides of my head.

"41 percent? Good going, genius!" Ritsu laughs. She was currently taking a peek inside my bag, pulling out the corrected test just enough to see my abysmal score.

"S-shut up!" I protest, putting my hands over the midterm. "Who said you could look in there?"

"Ooh, so scary! Are you afraid I'll find your dirty magazines?" Ritsu says, digging her hands further into my bag.

"Goddamnit, Ritsu!" I shout, tugging the bag away from her as I stand up. Despite me leaving the table, she follows me, hands still searching inside my school bag.

While nothing as scandalous as dirty magazines were in my bag, there _may or may not_ be a cellphone with a sneakily taken pictures of Ritsu sleeping as my background.

...What! She's really cute when she sleeps...

My questionable photography wasn't really something I wanted to explain to Ritsu. As a result, our childish struggled continued as the girls looked on in enjoyment.

"Tainaka-san!" A sharp shout calls out suddenly from the clubroom entrance.

Miss Sawako was standing outside the door, giving us a sharp glare; something I found she was very good at over her time as our Club Advisor. Oh well; As scary as she was at times, I'd rather it be her than some other teacher. Not to divulge too much, but I found her to be quite easy on the eyes...

"I know it's normal for girls to tease the boys they like, Tainaka-san, but I'd like to speak with Conrad for a moment." Sawako-sensei says, smiling innocently, as if she didn't just step on a landmine.

"W-what the heck are you talking about, Sensei? I don't give a crap about this idiot!" Ritsu stammers out, pushing me roughly towards Sawako. "You can expel him for all I care!"

AS much as I'd like to think she was lying, I'm not gonna hold my breath when shes denying it this vehemently.

"Is Conrad in trouble because of his test?" Yui asks curiously.

I can see Sawako flinch at the accusation. Coughing awkwardly, she straightens her skirt.

"T-thats none of your business, Hirasawa-san." Sawako replies. Her lack of outright denial causes me to cringe. "Come along, Conrad."

Goddamnit.

* * *

"Suspended from club activities?" Mio asks me, concerned.

Even though my punishment was already decided, hearing Mio repeat it to my face was not particularly fun.

"Yep, at least until my marks improve… and who knows when that'll happen" I say, indifferently "You guys probably won't see me here for a while, given my... erm, academic track record."

The girls seem to be at least somewhat distressed, but not overly so. And can you blame them? As the only guy, the only foreigner and apparently the only one here without a _PhD in cuteness_, I'm the decisive outsider in this group. It probably makes little difference to them if I'm here or not, as shitty that is to admit.

"That's too bad. We were just talking about having a training camp soon, to prepare for the school festival" Mio says, at least showing some sympathy.

Training camp? Sounds... troublesome.

"That's fine. You girls have fun." I say, not really giving a shit.

Why would I want to spend my weekend practicing bass, when I already do almost every day after school? No amount of pretty girls could change my stance on that…

"So where you guys having this camp? The school?" I said, thinking mostly about convenience and cost.

Turns out I forgot Mugi was insanely rich, and psycho about her friends…

"No, silly! Were going to Mugi's villa! We'll play at the beach and eat watermelon and everything!" Yui said, in her usual childish manner.

That was a stimulating thought to say the least. Going to the beach… in the sun… with four beautiful girls… all in BIKINIS…

Suddenly the concept of a training camp seems a lot more... _attractive;_ pun not intended.

"Conrad? Heloooo?" Ritsu calls to me, right into my ear.

Snapping back to reality, I was a man on a mission.

"I'm going to go study now! Save a spot for me on the trip!" I say, nearly running out of the clubroom.

As I open the door, I can hear the girls sighing at my transparency.

"Men are so simple minded…" Mugi says, bluntly.

* * *

Making a deal with Sawako-sensei, I convinced her to let me participate in club activities if I re-take the midterm tomorrow with an improved score, and wrote an essay on the importance of education afterwards. It was all really boring stuff, but I was enthusiastic to go on the trip. I mean, it was notable enough for me for spend _a class_ next to a cute girl... but an entire trip with FOUR? I certainly didn't have to think twice about this.

Even so, it didn't last long, not that I expected it to, anyways. It was a few hours after school, and I was currently sitting at my desk in my room, attempting to balance a pencil on my nose. My productivity wasn't what you'd call ideal, that's for sure.

I decided to invite Tanaka over (the only other student besides Yui to ace the midterm), to try and keep me focused. I was originally going to ask Mio, given that I wasn't a huge fan of Tanaka's overbearing personality, but something about asking a girl to come study at my house came across as a bit creepy, even considering my pure intentions. That, and it was hard to ever find her separate from Ritsu; I wasn't keen on making Ritsu think I was romancing her best friend, since she already seems to think that I'm a pervert.

Tanaka was currently playing on my Xbox. My study plan had utterly failed. Whether this was because of my lack of focus or Tanaka's shitty teaching methods was beyond me.

"How are we supposed to get you ready for the re-test like this, Yankee-san?" Tanaka asks, eyes glued to the TV screen.

"Would you stop calling me Yankee-san? You know my goddamn-" I tried to protest, but I was interrupted by the doorbell chiming.

It was strange to be getting guests at this hour. My dad didn't know too many people in Japan, and Akane was out for the night.

Curious as to the identity of the intruder, I stick my head out my bedroom door to listen in. I could hear the door opening below, and my dad having some sort of conversation. Before I could make out the other voice, My dad's own voice brings my attention elsewhere.

"Conrad! A friend is here to see you!" my dad calls up to me.

Confused, I start to make my way downstairs. If this were some sappy love story, I bet it would be Ritsu… keep dreaming.

...Or so I thought, as I was soon proved right. Descending the stairs to the entryway, I could see said girl awkwardly standing next to my dad.

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything, Conrad." My dad says to me, giving me a sly smile. I would say he's misunderstanding, but even I don't know why Ritsu was here. For all I know, she... ah, forget it.

"Hey there, Conrad… I was just walking back from the convenience store, and then I remembered something about you studying. T-this is just my duty as president… but I'm here to help you out!" Ritsu says, looking anywhere but at me.

I can't help but let a snicker out at that delivery.

"What? If you think I'm joking, I could just leave, you know..." she pouts, turning towards my door.

Almost too eagerly, I try to stop her. This, unfortunately, involved me awkwardly grabbing her hand, causing her to flinch at the contact.

"No no, it's alright!" I chuckle. "I just didn't think you would give a shit, especially with how much you hate studying."

"Don't look too much into it. I just know how hopeless you are!" She pulls her hand away, putting her hands on her hips. "This is charity, cha-rah-tee!" She repeats annoyingly.

I really don't get this girl. Earlier today she was mocking me about all this, and now she wants to help me? What's she up to?

Eh, who am I kidding. I don't give a crap about her motives; I like her WAY too much to care anymore.

Now to just get Tanaka out of the picture…

* * *

"So do you get it now? It's a really simple trick to remember them in order-"

"FUCK, HE SNIPED ME AGAIN!" yells Tanaka, cutting Ritsu off, who was in the middle of explaining some troublesome social studies concepts.

This wasn't the first time he'd done this since she showed up. Tanaka clearly wasn't well versed in social etiquette.

"TANAKA, YOU'RE NOT EVEN HELPING ME ANYMORE! WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE!" I yell back, extremely agitated. He was ruining my time with Ritsu! Sure, studying isn't the epitome of romanticism, but I'll take what I can get.

"Just ignore him. You want to go with us to the training camp, right?" Ritsu says, encouraging me.

"Yeah… but.." I say, looking back at Tanaka and the the TV.

Ritsu then proceeds to grab my collar, and pulls me towards her. Our faces were uncomfortably close, although I definitely wasn't against it.

"FOCUS, Conrad!" she says, seriously.

I can't help but get a little lost in her big brown eyes, bastions of femininity in her fairly tomboyish looks. Ritsu takes note of my interest, and quickly lets go of me. We both back off and laugh nervously.

Dreading the awkwardness, Ritsu continues her encouragement.

"C'mon, Think about it! You want to see Mio in a bikini, right? Those big melons barely restrained by-"

"N-no!" I deny, blushing. While I can't say she was wrong, It's not like I was about to admit it.

"Then Yui? Mugi? Whoever it is, just imagine it!" Ritsu says, pointing her finger at my face. "Use it as motivation!"

"What, you don't think I want to see _you_ in a bikini?" I say, being careful to mask it as a joke, smiling deviously. "I bet you could look real sexy if you tried."

I expected her to go along with it. You know, jab back as usual. But she seemed pretty angry that I made the comment.

"Shut up, idiot." Ritsu turns away, annoyed. Looks like a struck a chord.

"I already knwo I'm not much to look at..." Ritsu mutters, barely audible, despite her being barely a few feet away.

"Hey, that's not true!" I reply, smiling cautiously. "I was just kidding..."

"Stop pretending. I know I'm just the ugly forehead girl, surrounded by beauties..." She says, shaking her head.

"Hey, I didn't say that!" I say, trying to fix the situation. What's gotten into her? Ritsu was usually so aloof; this was definitely strange, to say the least.

"No... it's alright. Just forget it." She eventually replies, diverting her eyes from mine.

Ritsu starts to look through my textbook again, looking a bit solemn all the while.

"You expect me to just you beat yourself up like that?" I press her, trying to be genuine with her. "What's up, Ritsu?"

Looking back at me, she seems to be struggling against herself.

"It's just..." She trails off, her cheeks turning slightly pink; It's was too cute for words. I decide to press her a bit more, really curious at to what had her so troubled.

"Just what?" I ask, leaning slightly towards her.

She looks at me for a moment in silence; clearly regretting drawing my attention. I could tell she was thinking deeply. About what, I had no clue.

"Well... do you know what happened earlier, when me and the other girls were at the arcade?" she asked, acting strangely reserved.

"No, what happened?" I said, intrigued.

"All night, they all got hit on by guys! Mio more than once! But not me; I didn't even get a look!" She responds, failing to meet my gaze.

"I thought you hated guys who acted like that." I say, judging from her usual reactions to my advances.

"I do! But... sometimes It's nice to be told you're cute or pretty, not just seen as the goofball, ya know?" She continues, frustrated. It was a new experience to see her bare her emotions like this. I don't know if she actually wanted my opinion, but it was obvious Ritsu was really bugged about this.

Although... I have to admit; I can understand why she wasn't getting hit on. Ritsu just gives off an aura of a tough tomboy, you know? Girls like her simply make guys nervous; it had nothing to do with beauty. And yet, Ritsu probably has it in her head that there's something wrong with her!

She just needed a confidence boost, that's all!

"I see that sort of thing happen at the arcade all the time, Ritsu. They're scumbags, not the kind of attention you'd want." I say, shaking my head. "Besides Ritsu..."

It was time to execute Confidence Booster Alpha!

Grabbing Ritsu's shoulder, I stare at her intensely, maybe even creepily.

"W-what are you doing?"

"I THINK YOU'RE **SUPER** CUTE! YOUR SMILE IS MESMERIZING, YOUR EYES ARE BEAUTIFUL, YOUR HAIR IS GORGEOUS, AND... AND YOUR… B-BUTT! YOUR BUTT IS ADORABLE! IT'S **ALL** ADORABLE" I spew out, pretty much letting loose all the compliments I had been holding back since day one.

…I never had a way with words. Never will.

Worst of all, I forgot Tanaka was still here; He started laughing his ASS off!

Ritsu was embarrassed like crazy, her face donning an expression of disgust and discomfort. If she found that even a bit touching, she wasn't showing it.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY B-B-BUTT? Y-YOU PERVERT!" Ritsu yells, wrestling herself from my grip.

She gets up, and starts to pack her stuff.

"I-I'm going home!" She shouts, sounding quite flustered.

"Wait a s-sex!" I say frantically, in English. Tanaka laughs even harder at my Freudian slip, and Ritsu gets even more annoyed.

"Study yourself, you stupid... deviant!" Ritsu yells, clearly digging through her memory banks for that one.

After Ritsu leaves my room, Tanaka pats me on the back, a look of pity spread across his face.

"Nice going, dude. That was really smooth!"

"Fuck…."

* * *

After all that happened last night, things didn't actually turn out that bad. Even if the romantic aspect was a failure, the study night ended up helping me a lot in the end. All the small tricks that Ritsu showed me aided me immensely during the re-test. In the end, I managed to bump up my mark enough to return to the Keion, albeit barely.

After the test, I wanted to make it up to her. You know, to show I really was serious about studying, and not just her… posterior.

To celebrate my return to the club, we all went to grab some burgers; good old western food. I'd be touched, but the party was my idea, and I was paying for everyone, anyway…

The girls were chatting away happily all the while, while I was just satisfied to be done with all this midterm business. While the others were distracted with Yui's antics, I pulled Ritsu's attention to the side to apologize. Although she tried to act angry, I could tell she wasn't. Whether she now found my lack of tact funny, or if I really did help her self-confidence is beyond me. The important thing, I suppose, was that things were back to normal, and I had a trip to the beach to look forward to.

"...Sorry about the butt thing. You should know by now I have a tendency to say weird things to girls when I'm nervous!" I say laughing

"Well... You definitely aren't the smoothest guy I know, Conrad." She replies, rolling her eyes.

I nod my head, turning back to my meal. Glancing back at her, though, I see that Ritsu was still looking at me. I couldn't help but tense up.

"W-what? Stop staring at me, you weirdo!" I say, covering my face with my partially eaten burger.

"I'm not a weirdo!" She rebuts loudly, now making a clear attempt to look anywhere but me. "You're the one that stares at butts all day!"

Somehow I doubt she'll ever let that go...

"What's this about butts?" Mio interrupts, looking more than bit confused.

"Nothing!" Ritsu says right away, as if cutting me off. But I sure as hell wasn't going to mention it.

"It's an inside joke, right?" Ritsu says, winking at me.

My heart feels like it's melting...

"Aw… I want inside jokes with Richan too!" Yui says, clearly feeling left out.

AS I smile back at Ritsu, I'm starting to think that all my awkward missteps are actually a blessing in disguise.

I just hope it stays that way...

* * *

_Chapter 3. FINITO. I really hope you like this one, cause I put lots of thought into it. Finally some romantic action!_

_Leave a review, please, whether it be critiques, suggestions, or anything! I'm always open to other peoples opinions!_

_See you guys next time!_


	4. The War of the Sandcastles

_**Shun-0:**__ Ha-ha, glad you enjoyed it! And yes, Conrad isn't the brightest bulb in the box…._

_Hello everyone! Time for another exciting installment of 'The Forehead Girl'! And it's time for the Training camp! I'm excited for all the things I can do with this situation… so many possibilities!_

_Anyway, please enjoy, and let me know what you think!_

_**Disclaimer:**__I don't own K-ON, and never will. I do__not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to the original creator(s)._

* * *

"C-Conrad-kun… please, be gentle!" Ritsu says, blushing as I push her onto the bed. "I-I'm not sure If I'm ready for this yet..."

Ritsu and I were in a hotel room, accented beautifully by a wonderful sunset out the window. To be in such a beautiful place during this life-changing moment, could only be described as perfect. That said, the details of how we got here seem to be escaping me at the moment.

"I can't help myself, Ritsu! I love you!" I said, mounting on top of her.

"Do you really?" said Ritsu, staring at me with a slight smile.

"Of course, my darling!" I answer dramatically, running my fingers through her hair.

"Alright then…" Ritsu says, slowly taking off her shirt. "If it's with you, I suppose it's fine."

As the moment of truth approaches, my nose starts to feel funny... and I'm having trouble breathing! Damn! Why now, of all times!

Reaching up to touch my nose, I notice that it wasn't even there.

All of a sudden, the walls begin to melt away. Even before I can contemplate what was happening, the rooms seems to twist, causing me to lose my balance and fall off the bed.

The shock of the fall causes me to jolt awake.

* * *

DAMN IT! IT WAS DREAM? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!

Now, I've had some pretty bad experiences since I came to Japan, but waking up from a dream about the girl you love, only to find yourself on a noisy train, with a clothespin on your nose, and the aforementioned girl laughing her ass off at your expense... well this has got to be one of the worst.

"Sleep well, Conrad?" Ritsu says slyly.

"REAL mature, Ritsu…" I say, removing the clothespin from my nose.

"Ohh, I'm sorry!" She apologizes, although it didn't take a genius to notice the sarcasm. "Did I wake you up from your perverted dreams?"

"…" I sit there silently, blushing, looking out the train window. I couldn't think of anything to say.

"Hey! I hit the mark didn't I? I always knew you were a perverted sonnovabitch!" Ritsu yells, pointing her finger at me accusingly.

"I'M A TEENAGE BOY! HOW CAN I NOT BE?" I yell back, hands up in the air.

"Stop it you two! Everyone is staring!" Mio says, not liking all the attention we were gathering from the other passengers.

"Sorry…" Ritsu and I reply in unison.

"Besides, we're almost at Mugi's villa! Just behave yourselves for the next few minutes!" She continues, rolling her eyes.

As annoyed as I was at Ritsu, being reminded about the training camp made me cheer up. Hopefully by the end of this weekend, Ritsu and I will get over this childish game we've playing for the past few months… not that I mind the attention.

Leaning back into my seat, I try hopelessly to re-enter the dream that I was so rudely ejected from. It was all for naught, though, as before I knew it, the train came to a slow but steady halt.

* * *

After finally arriving at the villa, I was kept busy with helping Mio and Tsumugi set up the music equipment. If only Mugi was richer, and we could just have servants do this for us. Then again, I suppose that's just my laziness talking. The process barely took any time, and soon enough the spacious room was fully equipped to accommodate our club practices.

"I wonder where Richan and Yui went." Tsumugi wonders aloud, boredly playing some simple melodies on her keyboard.

That was a good question. Mio was adamant when we arrived that this was going to be a group effort, but the two troublemaking girls had conveniently disappeared somewhere during the process of unpacking. I'd like to say that I had no clue, but given that we were essentially in a sun bathed paradise, It didn't require much imagination to deduce what they were up to...

"Jeez, you'd think they'd at least help us!" Mio replied, looking quite annoyed.

As Mio handed me my bass, I was starting to think that maybe we might actually get some practicing done… not that I mind. It's just that I came on this trip more or less for leisure, not to do what we do everyday at school anyways, villa or not…

It kinda seems like a waste to spend our time indoors, is all.

As if to make the propsect of fun in the sun even more appealing, Ritsu and Yui came bursting on the scene, clad in bikinis. I found myself having to pick my jaw off the floor. These two girls were quite the sight to behold. I silently thank whatever god that might've had a hand in putting me in this situation.

"ITS TIME FOR THE BEEEAAAAACHHH!" They yelled simultaneously, fists in the air.

I guess I can always count on these two goofballs to try and mess up Mio's plans.

"Hey, you two! We came here to practice! Remember?" Mio said, with her hands on her hips. "This is a training camp, first and foremost!"

"No one wants to do that nowww…" Ritsu said, pouting. Yui unsurprisingly agrees, wearing an impressively similar expression. This was clearly a coordinated attack on my heart...

"As the president, I say we take a vote! **Beach?** or _practice_…" Ritsu asks, raising her hand in democratic spirit.

There was some obvious bias to that statement.

Intentionally biding my time, the vote ended up being an even 2-2 vote between the girls, even though I'm sure Mugi was only voting to practice because she felt sorry for Mio.

"Cmon Conrad, We all know why you're _really_ here…" Ritsu said, winking at me.

Regardless of why I was here, I was still in a position to make an impression here.

On one hand, I could vote Beach and score some points with Ritsu (not to mention the bikinis…), or I could vote Practice and get rid of this "perverted" tag I have attached to me…

...Ah, fuck it.

"B-beach" I say quietly, as if that would hide my shame.

"CONRAD!" Mio yells, looking appalled. Did she really think I was going to do otherwise? I mean, I'm glad she has faith in me and all, but... cmon.

"Sorry Mio, but I didn't study my ass off for that midterm to practice..." I tell the solemn girl honestly.

"I knew I could count on you, pervy!" Ritsu said, slapping me on the back.

"Jeez…" I say. "This is so bitter-sweet…"

* * *

The next few hours was an experience that I wouldn't mind re-living at some point. The stuff we did was fairly normal; We swam for a bit, played some volley ball, smashed a watermelon (beats me…). Normal or not, though, almost any activity gets a hell of a lot more interesting when you're doing it with a bunch of cute girls in attractive swimwear.

The girls seemed a bit tired after a while, and they were soon sitting together under their umbrella while I started to work on a sandcastle. It was a bit childish, I'll admit, but I was feeling a bit bored myself, and thought I'd give it a shot.

As the monument started to take shape, I looked around for some places that could be improved. As focused as I was, I was confused when much of the castle was bathed in sudden shade, making it much harder to see. Turning around, Ritsu was standing there, taking a look herself at my handy-work.

"Working hard, huh?" She asks me, grinning. "You want some help?"

"Sure, why not?" I reply, shrugging.

Ritsu takes some steps towards the castle, and soon she was standing fairly close. I can;t help but find myself inching myself away, feeling a bit uncomfortable around her when she was in that damned white bikini. Don't get me wrong, It was a sight to behold; But I wasn't exactly keen on her catching me leering at her, especially with all the 'pervert' comments she was sending my way.

As Ritsu begins to pile some sand next to a wall, I take a moment to make sure she was busy before taking a good look at her. I know I keep mentioning it, but she had some _really _pretty eyes. They were almost golden now, glistening slightly under the sun's rays. She had a slight smile on her face as she wipes her brow, continuing her work on the castle.

Jesus Christ... what kind of good deeds did I do to deserve being next to a girl like _this_? Back home I was lucky to get even a few words of conversation with a girl, but Ritsu was even opting to spend time with me over the girls, and it was to help me with my stupid sandcastle to boot! I think I might...

"Uh, Conrad?" Ritsu beckons me back into reality. "When I said I'd help you, I didn't mean _I'd_ be doing all the work..."

"O-Oh! Yeah, sorry... I was just..." I reply, scrambling over to her side, helping her prop up the tower she was building. "...N-never mind."

"Getting an eye-full, huh?" Ritsu laughs, glancing at me.

Shit. Was I being that obvious?

"N-no! I mean, yeah... sort of..." I admit, looking back at her.

Ritsu looks at me knowingly, donning a smirk. "I had a feeling, you dork."

"I mean... I don't mean to come across as creepy, but... you're kinda... _gorgeous_, Ritsu." I add, trying to salvage the situation.

...I did** not** just say that. 'salvage the situation' my ass!

Ritsu sends me a wide eyes stare, and stands up.

"W-what? I meant M-Mio! Weren't you staring at _M__io?_" She says, backing off slightly.

"Hell no! I was looking at you!" I reply, shaking my head quickly.

Ritsu blushes, quickly donning a disapproving expression whilst covering her bikini top with her arms. "P-pervert! Don't make this awkward!"

"Would you stop calling me that! I was just looking at your face, I swear!" I deny, looking at her intensely.

Ritsu's face reddens further, as she leers back at me.

"M-my face?" She asks, looking at me strangely.

Ritsu pauses, before staring at her feet. She looked deep in thought.

"You know, Conrad... about all that stuff I said at your house; I'm completely over it now." She continues.

My house?

Oh... the _butt_ thing.

"What the heck does that have to do with this?" I ask, honestly confused. "What exactly are you 'over'?"

Ritsu looks annoyed at my clueless self, but continues anyway.

"Y-you know... getting all worked up about not getting hit on." She replies, brushing some sand off of her legs. "Y-you don't need to keep saying that stuff to make me feel better..."

I sigh, and shake my head.

"I'm not trying to make you _feel better_, Ritsu. I-I'm just being honest, okay? I know it's from _me_, but a compliment's a compliment, right?"

Ritsu stares at me yet again, pink cheeks scrunching up in wariness.

"W-whatever! Just... keep it to yourself, okay?" She replies finally, walking away. "Dummy!"

Jeez... I just can't win with her, can I?

With a bitter sigh, I return to working on my sandcastle, now unfortunately alone.

* * *

After all was said and done with the castle, I found myself bored yet again. I guess sensing this, Mugi told us about a nearby coastal town that she visited last time she was here. I was curious, so I convinced the others to go for a walk along the beach to find it... despite Mio's continued annoyance at our procrastination.

We eventually found the town, where the beach was filled with a large crowd of people. Whatever was happening looked pretty lively, so we went to go check out what was going on.

"Come one, come all! Sign up for our annual sand castle building contest!" A large man in a Hawaiian-style shirt was yelling at the forming crowd.

Everyone in the crowd seemed pretty pumped up, and I wasn't feeling any different. Feeling pretty confident in my own sandcastle-ing abilities, I called out to the man.

"What's the prize?" I say, raising my hand. A little disingenuous, sure, but If I told you the prize wasn't my main concern, I'd be lying.

"I'm glad you ask, young sir… the prize is two tickets to our local amusement park; free rides for a whole day!" He said, pulling out the tickets.

The crowed oohed and ahhed. This seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass up! If I were to win, not only will I impress Ritsu, but we could go to the amusement park together! Most of the other participants are young kids, so it looks like I had a pretty good chance. The perfect plan!

"Hey guys, I think I'm going to enter… can you watch my stuff?" I say to Yui, handing her my bag.

"But Conrad, it says teams of two! You need a partner!" Mio, said pointing at the nearby sign.

Reading the flashy sign detailing the rules, I see that she was right; I'd have to recruit one of the girls to enter.

"Ooh! Can I be with you? I love sandcastles!" Yui said, jumping up and down.

"Really?" I ask, confused. "You didn't seem so interested when I was building one before..."

"But but but... I really wanna try!" Yui says excitedly. Not exactly the most deep-rooted reason, but at least she had enthusiasm.

"That's the spirit!" I say, highfive-ing Yui.

As we walked over to the sign up table, the other girls continue to talk behind us.

"C'mon Mio! We should enter too!" Ritsu said, grabbing Mio by the arm.

"W-Wait!" Mio Said, getting practically dragged towards us.

Well shit... I guess there's going to be some competition.

"I've never been to an amusement park!" Mugi said, eyes sparkling "I'm going to enter too!"

...Double shit.

Oh well, I figure I have the edge in experience. That is, unless one of these girls was an architect in their past life; and unlikely but funny concept to entertain.

"Seriously? Isn't your family really rich? How could you not have gone to an amusement park?" I say, inquisitively

"My parents were never in to stuff like that… But I've always seen them on TV! they seem so fun! Hopefully I'll win!" Mugi said, holding her hands to her cheeks happily.

"Well that's great but... who's going to be your partner?" I ask, seeing as we had an odd number of people in our group.

"Well... sometimes, having an overbearing father has it's advantages!" Mugi smiles, pulling out her cell phone.

With a family as rich as the Kotobukis... this worries me, frankly.

* * *

Waiting for the contest to start. I looked around anxiously.

Yui looked completely zoned out, staring at the refreshments table, which was littered with tasty treats. Typical Yui...

Ritsu and Mio, on the other hand, looked pretty focused. They were huddled together, I guess coming up with some sort of a plan.

And Mugi… well, turns out she called her father, and somehow got one of his burly bodyguards here within a few minutes. Overbearing might be a bit of an understatement.

The other contestants... well I don't think we're facing anyone under the age of 12. I feel kind of bad, and the parents of these kids don't look exactly happy that we showed up last minute and spoiled their kids chances.

"Aaaaand…. START!" The organizer yelled, launching his fist into the air.

Me and Yui started out fairly well. Yui had the creativity, while I had a general sense of practicality…

"No, Yui. We can't build a sand dragon, we don't have that kind of time OR skill…" I say face palming at her ridiculous suggestion.

"Aww…" Yui says, looking cutely disappointed.

Despite a few drawbacks, It looked like we had the best looking castle, with Ritsu and Mio closely behind. Now, however, we had to place a flag on the top of our tallest tower, as per the rules. We probably should have put the flag on the tower BEFORE we built two layers of walls around it…

As Yui, who had smaller feet and was less likely to pull a Godzilla, was carefully stepping over the walls, a breeze picked up and blew god knows what into Yui's nose. Whatever it was, she got THAT face. You know, that scrunched up face when someone's about to sneeze? We can all probably see what's coming by now… and it ain't pretty.

"ahh… ahh…" Yui sniffled. This was a disaster waiting to happen.

"YUI, DON'T YOU DARE!" I yell, my heart beating like crazy.

"I-I cant h-help my s-s-s-s-SAH-CHOOOOO!" Yui yells, sneezing violently, before falling on top of our almost finished sand castle.

Hurricane Yui had hit our peaceful sand-world…god help our poor sand-citizens…

"AHAHAHAHA" I could hear Ritsu laughing from their position. "NICE JOB YUI!"

Mio and Ritsu's castle was, unfortunatley for us, completely untouched. It looked quite a bit better than ours, for obvious reasons.

"JUST YOU WAIT, YA BITCH!" I yell back, causing some of the parents in the crowd to reel back. Whoops.

"GO AHEAD AND TRY, YANKEE BASTARD" Ritsu laughs, sticking her tongue out.

"Looks like we've got a firey rivalry going on here!" the organizer shouts in his megaphone. A little overdramatic, but hell, we were the ones who started yelling _obscenities_ over sandcastles.

As much fun as our exchange was, I had to think of a plan.

"I'm sorry Conrad..." Yui starts to speak. Her frown made my heart ache; this girl was ridiculously adorable.

"It's okay, Yui! I have a plan! And quick, we only have a few minutes; just make a big pile of sand and place this on top!" I say, handing her the flag

"But, why?" she said, tilting her head in confusion.

"just do it! It's better than nothing" I say, grabbing her shoulders

"YES CAPTAIN!" Yui said, saluting.

While Yui did her job, I was watching attentively, at Mio.

Seeing Mio step up to the castle with the flag, I knew luck was on my side…

"What's wrong, Conrad-chan? Given up?" Ritsu taunts at me, proudly standing next to her well designed castle.

I smile back at Ritsu. Pointing at their sand castle then making a thumbs-down, I smile evilly.

While Ritsu looked at me confusedly, I saw that Mio was finally placing the flag. It was time to strike!

"M-Mio!" I call to my black-haried clubmate.

"Yes?" Mio looks over at me carefully, the flag hovering carefully over the castle. "What's wrong?"

"Don't look now... but there's a big leech on your foot..." I hiss, trying to sound as disgusted as I could.

Mio shrieks, kicking her legs wildly, before running away.

"Oh you SHITHEAD!" Ritsu yells, looking on in horror.

"NOOOOO!" Mio screamed as she looked back at the castle, realizing all the damage she had done. "C-Conrad, how could you?" She looks at me sadly. Tears were forming in her eyes, and her lip was quivering.

"Moe-Moe...Kyun?" I say, unsure, looking at Yui.

Yui nods in agreement, forming the heart sign with her fingers.

It was a brilliant victory, but now I had to hope and pray somehow that our mound of dirt would win. I doubted it, though, especially after looking at the citadel that Mugi and her bodyguard were just putting the finishing touches on.

Looking over at Ritsu, then looking at each others decimated castles, we couldn't help but burst out laughing. This situation was just so ridiculous. How did we get so worked up over sand-castles? Soon enough Yui and Mio joined in.

What happened next... I wasn't expecting.

Mugi, the wannabe pauper, either decided that her castle was just a bit TOO perfect, or just felt left out, and decides to fake-trip into her castle, causing it too, to be crushed horribly. The bodyguard fails to react; I guess they were used to her weird antics...

Although the rest of us were speechless, it was only for a moment as we all just started laughing even more.

* * *

...So, it shouldn't be a surprise that none of us won the prize in the end, but it seemed like we didn't even cared anymore, as we all walked away from the experience with not only sand in our shoes, but some great memories.

By the time we made it back to the villa, the sun was almost setting. We tried to be quick, In hopes (mostly Mio's, mind you) that we would have some time left to practice, but it was all for naught.

A few hours later, Ritsu, Yui and I had been pinned with cleaning up after dinner. I guess Mio was pissed that we slacked off for so long, so to avoid her wrath we ended up with the short straw this time. Mio and Mugi were already in the studio practicing, leaving us without supervision. It was clear I wasn't the only one taking advantage of this fact, as Yui and Ritsu were busy throwing all the soap bubbles in the sink at each other.

"Will you two stop _screwing around_ and help me with these dishes?" I shout, causing the two girls to jump in surprise.

"Don't yell, Conrad..." Yui bemoans, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. "You're hurting my ears!"

Sighing, I push Yui over to the other end of the kitchen, separating the two troublemakers like a fed-up mother. "You go put those dishes away, Yui!"

Yui pouts, but starts to oblige, albeit very slowly. "You just want Ricchan for yourself..."

Ritsu can't help but laugh, giving me a sly look. "Is that true, Conrad?"

Facepalming, I pull Ritsu over to my side. "Look, can we just get this work done, _please?_"

Though they continue to laugh, the girls _do_ actually begin to work. I sigh in relief as the room finally begins to calm down.

Ritsu was to my right, in charge of drying the dishes I had washed. Yui was off putting away everything in the spacious kitchen, leaving us... quite obviously alone.

The last time we were by ourselves, I had made some... less than tact comments about Ritsu. Hopefully she forgot or this is going be very awk-

"H-hey Conrad?" Ritsu asks me, almost at a whisper.

Shit. What's with the stutter?

I look over at her, and she looked quite uneasy.

"Y-yeah?" I answer, sounding equally, if not more nervous.

"Uh... how do I say this..." Ritsu starts, her eyes shifting around the room.

Gulp.

"I know I kinda... got annoyed about what you said, back at the beach." She continues, playing with the dish cloth in her hands.

"I-it's alright." I reply, shrugging. "It _was_ pretty awkward of me..."

"Yeah... but, I-I don't want you to think that I don't... appreciate it." She continues, finally matching my gaze. "So, uh, thanks... for saying that I'm.. _g-gorgeous_."

Oh god. I _did_ say that, didn't I?

"Oh! y-yeah, no problem..." I say, trying to continue, but finding no words to do so.

As an awkward silence fell between us, I try my best to frantically think of something to change the subject. Goddamnit, why is it that my words only come out easily when they're something stupid!

Hearing muffled laughter behind me, I turn to see that Yui was hovering behind us. She had a big grin on her face, and it was all to obvious she had been standing there for a while. Ritsu had also turned around, and was blushing heavily.

"Don't mind me~" Yui announces slyly, skipping playfully towards us. "But... Isn't this the part where you call him _handsome_, Ritsu?"

I can't help but look over at Ritsu expectantly, hoping that what Yui said had some truth to it. Her angry face proved otherwise.

Ritsu throws her washcloth at Yui's head. It collides right with the girl's smirking visage, causing her to squeak in surprise.

"Yui, you little creeper!" Ritsu shouts, running after the laughing girl.

Seeing the two return to play-fighting around the kitchen, I can only sigh as the dishes were still unfinished...

"Goddammit, you two..."

* * *

After _finally_ cleaning up and heading back to the studio, Mio asked me to play something for her to gauge my improvement with the bass. To be honest, I was actually kinda proud of myself. I liked to complain a lot about practicing, but now that I was actually doing it regularly, I was starting to feel more confident in my skills.

Anyway, I'd been practicing slap-bass recently, so I decided to demo some for her.

"Wow! You're like Flea!" Mio said to me, impressed.

Being compared to _Flea_ was quite the stretch, but hey, if she thinks so…

"Well, I don't know bout that…" I say, smiling wide.

"But you've really improved since you joined!" Yui said, piping in.

I guess I have. Besides the consistent practice, Mio was helping me along the way whenever I needed help. She was good teacher, even though she finds it very hard to criticize people because of her shy demeanor.

"Watch out Yui, his head might not fit in the room if you guys keep complementing him like that…" Ritsu said, walking into the room with a glass of milk.

"Hey, I'm pretty good now!" I say, proudly motioning to myself.

"Mio is still MILES ahead of you…" Ritsu said, sitting down behind her drum set.

I'd like to protest, but I knew it was true. I'd like for her to be impressed with my progress too, but I still had tons to learn. Knowing Ritsu though, I'd probably have to surpass Les Claypool to even get a compliment out of her…

"Speaking of bass, what are you two doing for the school festival? It's not like we can have two bassists…" Ritsu said, pointing her drumsticks at both Mio and I.

"Wait, so you guys were actually considering using me?" I say, honestly dumbfounded. "I thought I was just the club gopher!"

Mio looks annoyed at Ritsu, who was always the one to remind me of that... fact?

"Well, you _have _been trying hard to learn our songs... it'd be a shame to see that effort go to waste."

I can tell she's just trying to be nice, and include me. To be honest, me learning to play their super cutesy song was more of an emergency measure if anything... I'm not sure if I'm ready to go on stage yet.

"Ah, it's okay... I probably won't have much time to practice, to be honest... I made some stupid promise to Tanaka on the first day of school. I told him I'd join the Cosplay club, and never followed through. And then on top of that, he helped me study for the midterm." I say, explaining the situation

"When he asked for a favor, I couldn't refuse… so I'm going to be helping the cosplay club prepare for the festival all next week…" I finish, a little embarrassed.

pleasedontask pleasedontask pleasedontask pleasedont-

"Cosplay club? What are you going to do with them?" Yui asked me, the name probably catching her attention.

FUCK. Why do they always have to ask…

"It's a... M-Maid Cafe…" I say, coughing awkwardly.

"Oh, so you'll be cooking? Or are you a butler or something?" Mio asks, continuing to dig further.

"Not exactly… they're going to switch gender roles! Haha… isn't that crazy!" I say, strumming my bass frantically, trying to divert attention away from me.

"So hold on… _you're_ going to be a maid?" Mio asked. As nice of a girl that she is, I could tell that even she was holding back laughter, along with the other girls.

"...Well, yeah. I am."

Wait for it…

Within a moment, Ritsu spewed milk all over her drum set, laughing hysterically.

Soon everyone was laughing at the mental image.

"YOU? A MAID? AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ritsu laughed, doubling over.

"S-SHUTUP! MY HANDS WERE TIED! I OWED HIM" I yell, blushing. Ritsu doesn't seem to be listening, as she almost falls off her drum throne in laughter.

If only I had listened to Tanaka that first day I talked to him... Had I paid attention and properly declined, I wouldn't currently be on a one-way trip to Maidsville...

"Can we come and see you?" Yui said, giggling. "I wanna see what _Connchan _looks like in a dress!"

"C-Connchan?" I sputter out, taken aback by the cutesy nickname. I hope to god that doesn't stick...

"YEAH! WE HAVE TO SEE THIS!" Ritsu said, looking at the other girls.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" I yell at the top of my lungs.

It goes without saying, but Ritsu didn't leave me alone about the cosplay situation for the rest of the weekend.

I am not looking forward to that damn festival...

* * *

I still managed to have fun the rest of the training camp, despite the occasional teasing from the girls. Though most of our remaining time was spent practicing, I really couldn't complain. These four girls were a bit _too _ entertaining in their antics; I bet a whole show could be based around it...

Of course, if there was a show... I totally wouldn't make the cut. Who the heck would want to watch me, when four pretty girls are acting all cute?

...Wait, what the hack am I going on about. Jeez...

_Anyway_, before I knew it we were back in Tokyo, and the school festival was right around the corner.

It was for that very reason that I found myself in the cosplay club room, helping out despite my fears of the upcoming date. I tried my best to distract myself with some mundane tasks, but soon enough I had to come to terms with my role as a... goddamn maid.

Yoko, one of the female club members, pulled me to the side. I had no idea what was going on, but once she pulled out a tape measure...

"I'm going to need your measurements, Conrad" She said, smiling. "Stand still for a bit, okay?"

Goddammit.

The petite girl began wrapping the tape around my waist, as I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. Jesus, just imagining this is... impossible.

"R-really? But I'm so tall and such, don't you think it's all a waste of material for just one use? _Tanaka_ would be a much better candidate, don't you think?" I ask desperately trying my best to wiggle my way out of this.

"Forget it, I'm not embarrassing myself. Besides, a foreigner in a maid costume will be a huge draw…" Tanaka says, pushing up his glasses. "think of the money we can raise!"

"Shit…" I mutter.

This is going on the list of things Ritsu won't let me forget, isn't it...

* * *

_Chapter 4 DONE. I hope you enjoy the extra humor in this one (or at least what i perceive as humor). See you guys next time!_


	5. School Festival Madness

_**Shun-0:**__ thanks for the continued support. And don't worry, I'll finish this for sure, I'm having a blast writing it, thinking of all the ways to screw up Conrad's love life :D._

_Alright, time for Chapter 5! The equally anticipated and feared event, the school festival, has arrived!_

_**Disclaimer:**__I don't own K-ON, and never will. I do__not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to the original creator(s)._

* * *

"Come out, Conrad-kun!" Yoko said, knocking on the storage room door.

Inside I stood, looking at the mirror. I was currently wearing a frilly maid uniform. If the dress wasn't bad enough... stockings... heels... you get the goddamn picture.

"No way! I look stupid!" I say, childishly. There was no way I'd let see the keion girls see me like this. Hell, there's no way I'd let _anyone_ see me like this!

"Come on, Conrad-kun! The cafe is starting soon, we need you out there!" Yoko said, sounding worried.

"F-Fine.." I say, opening the door.

Upon walking out, I expected laughter from Yoko, but she looked very happy with herself.

"It looks great! You look cute!" Yoko said, walking around me. She was a small girl, barely 5 feet tall.

"This is your idea of cute? You have messed up tastes, Yoko…" I say looking down at my lower half, picking up the skirt slightly in disgust. "I have a feeling I'm going to scare away customers more than attract them."

"Don't worry, Conrad-kun! This isn't about looking good. It's about going against the grain, defying social norms! It's about giving the people something fresh and new!" Yoko said, matter-of-factly.

"Really? Cause it looks to me like we're just dressing like freaks to draw customers…" I say, peeking out from the curtain that divided the clubroom in two.

"Well… admittedly that's part of it. But it doesn't matter! Just go out there and have fun!" Yoko said, patting me on the back.

Oh god the people outside... so many people. People with _eyes_ that can _see_!

"Easy for you to say…" I say, annoyed "As soon as Ritsu shows up, everything will be ruined."

"Why... a-are you two going out?" Yoko said, glancing at me half-heartedly.

I can't help but raise my eyebrows at her directness.

"I-I'm just wondering..." She stumbles, clutching her chest slightly.

I rub the back of my head, bashfully.

"Well... not EXACTLY, we-"

"Definitely not…" Tanaka cuts in, currently eavesdropping from the other side of the curtain. His hands were crossed like an X, accenting his point annoyingly. "At this point, it's nothing more than his wishful thinking and fantasies."

"Screw you, dude! If it weren't for me, you'd be wearing this you know!" I say, pointing at my extremely feminine getup.

"Well r-regardless, Conrad-san…" Yoko says, adjusting her glasses. "I've been meaning to ask you a favor..."

"Another one? But I-" I reply, almost revealing our secret before I catch myself. Leaning in towards Yoko, I quiet down my voice so Tanaka can't hear. "I already let you take those pictures..."

The photo shoot in question... well let's just say a bit of my manliness died today. I really need to learn to say no to women one of these days...

"I know, I know, but... my friend's class is putting on this haunted house…" She continues, looking quite guilty.

My ears perk up at this, knowing that my class was the only one doing so.

"That's my class! I was helping build spooky props just last night!" I say, proud of my work

"Really? Well, my friend's dressed up as a monster... and she wants me to come see her, but I'm no good with that type of stuff, so I-" Yoko explained nervously.

"You want me to accompany you?" I say, a little too eagerly

"Y-Yes! I mean... only if you want…" Yoko said, looking away, nervously fidgeting with her buttons.

Jesus Christ… and I thought Mio had moe power. Yoko had her own charm to her, even though her short hair and glasses made her look a bit nerdy. Eh, for all I know i might have a thing for that...

Suddenly images of Ritsu with braided hair and glasses pop into my head, causing a confusing combination of bliss and embarassment.

...would Ritsu care if I showed up with Yoko? Ah, who am I kidding... she probably could care less what I do. Her making fun of me mercilessly, however, seemed like a much more realistic concern. She never seems to miss an oppurtunity to make me look dumb in front of others.

...though I must admit half of the blame goes to me for giving her so many chances to do just that.

I just hope we don't run into Ritsu at the haunted house. She told me earlier she had a shift as the welcome desk.

"No, definitely! I'd be happy to go!" I reply, after a fair bit of hesitation. I cover my worries up with a grin; how could I refuse such a cute girl?

"Great! I'll See you there!" Yoko responds, sending me her own smile.

Slightly blushing, Yoko excuses herself from Tanaka and I, and leaves to help the other girls with the food preparation. It almost looks like she has a spring in her step. The girl _was_ enthusiastic about cosplay, I'll give her that.

"I'm pretty sure she likes you, Conrad" Tanaka says to me, while sneakily eating the food meant for the customers.

"Y-you think so?" I say, admittedly interested. "That would definitely be a first."

"But be gentle with her, Conrad. She's fragile…" Tanaka said, snickering

"You say that like I'm a rapist or something!" I say, tired of Tanaka's antics.

"Just get out there and make us some money!" Tanaka laughs, giving me a push out the curtain.

Stumbling out, I nearly trip due to the heels I'm wearing. I'm still really confused as to how Yoko found them in my size; she may be small, but shes persistent... Just my luck I guess.

As I straighten up, I can't help but notice that the customers are whispering to each other. I WONDER WHY. OH YEAH, THERE'S A FOREIGNER MAID STANDING RIGHT HERE.

I see all the other male club members, dressed in their own embarrassing costumes, breathe a collective sigh of relief. The attention was now decidedly off them. After all, there was a more interesting freak-show now...

"Psst! Conrad-kun!" I hear Yoko call out from the curtain. "Say the line!"

"Oh please not that..." I whisper to her desperately.

"C'mon! It's part of being a maid!" She persists, hissing.

Sigh. I _really _need to learn to say no to women.

"W-welcome back, master!" I say, bowing over at the incoming customers. It came out more creepy than anything, given my refusal to heighten the pitch of my voice; The outfit was bad enough.

As if on a timer, all the girls in the room start giggling, and the boys do their share of pointing and laughing.

Somebody shoot me.

* * *

When the long awaited break came along, Yoko and I made our way towards the haunted house.

I ended up being extremely lucky, at least if you ignore the whole maid thing in the first place. Apparently the Keion girls were too busy with their own festival duties than to come see me at the cosplay club, as there was no sign of them when I worked the entirety of my pride-destroying shift. I sure as hell dodged a bullet there.

Arriving at my classroom, I see that Ritsu was assigned to the front desk, as she greets Yoko and I with less than friendly eyes.

So much for avoiding her...

"What poor girl did you pick up THIS time, Conrad?" Ritsu said, looking at Yoko. "You better watch out, this guy is a reeeeal pervert! I bet he's only taking you here so he can feel you up in the dark, or something!"

Ritsu… could you NOT ruin my every attempt to befriend a girl with your pervert jokes!

"Please don't talk badly of Conrad-kun! He's only here because he wants to help me with my fear of the dark; nothing weird like that!" Yoko said, defending me. Sure, she was laying it on a _little_ thick, but who am I to complain? It was nice for a change for a girl here to respect me, rather than to avoid or make fun of me.

"Look, you may think that you know him well, but we've been friends since he came to Sakuragaoka. Trust me, you don't know the REAL him!" Ritsu said sternly.

"I think you're being unfair, Ritsu-san! Conrad-kun is a nice guy!" Yoko rebuts, shaking her head.

Are two girls actually fighting over me? This is awesome!

"What, you don't believe me? Well, get a load of this!" Ritsu begins, puffing out her chest.

Oh dear lord.

"I was at his house once and you know what I found out? He TOTALLY has a fetish for butt-" Ritsu said, as I luckily snap back from my fantasies.

"Would you shut the hell up, Ritsu?" I cut her off, grabbing Yoko's arm and dragging her into the haunted house. "Christ, you're annoying!"

"What the hell? Hey! You guys need to pay!" I hear Ritsu's voice fade, as we enter the haunted house.

That might have been a bit harsh, but screw it, the last thing I need right now is more mud slinging from Ritsu...

* * *

Walking through the narrow path of the haunted house, I couldn't help but stifle a yawn. It was bad enough that I found stuff like this boring, but since I helped decorate and organize this place, I already knew what was coming! Looking over at Yoko, however, I can see that even our cheap scare tactics were working on her, as she looked quite freaked out. Guess she wasn't exaggerating about her phobia.

"Hey look, my handy work!" I laugh, pointing at my scary mask on the wall.

"W-wow, you made that?" Yoko replies, finally cracking a bit of a smile.

"Yeah, it took me quite a while, too!" I say, proudly "I'm not all that smart; but I'm pretty good with my hands!"

"Cool…" Yoko said calmly, although obviously a little freaked out by the dark and creepy atmosphere.

"We should probably keep moving, Yoko-san. Don't want the next group to catch up with us…" I say, slowly walking away from her.

"Um, Conrad-san?" Yoko says, stopping me by pulling on my sleeve. "Can I ask you something... personal?"

"Y-yeah? What's up?" I say, quite nervously.

Was she going to make a move on me?

"What was Ritsu talking about earlier? Something about you and her at your house? A-and a _f-fetish_?" she said, worried. "You didn't do anything weird to her… did you?"

Goddamnit, Ritsu! You're always ruining my image!

"N-no! She's just blowing a comment I made out of proportion. She was just trying to embarrass me, _really_!" I say, trying to explain... without actually revealing said comment.

"Oh… ok. I was just a little worried. I'm glad that-"She says, before being cut off by the lights being shut off suddenly. What little light there was already, was now completely gone.

Yoko shrieks. "W-w-what's going on? Why is it dark?"

I went to speak, in order to to calm her down... but that's when I got pushed. I don't know by who or for what reason, but I was pushed… right on top of Yoko. And of course, my left hand, which was trying to break my fall, landed on her left boob perfectly.

So... I was essentially groping a tiny Japanese schoolgirl in the dark... Yeah, this totally isn't questionable at ALL.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING CONRAD? STOP TOUCHING ME!" Yoko screams then proceeds to punch wildly into the dark, hitting me multiple times in the face and arm.

"I-I can't believe you!"

Before I could explain, Yoko ran out, whining. I was left there dumbfounded. Conveniently, the lights just so happen to turn on after the incident was over.

Hearing snickers coming from behind me, I knew right away what had happened.

"RITSUUU!" I yell, into the darkness.

* * *

After the incident, I was sitting with Ritsu at the welcome desk, holding a bag of ice over my eye, thanks to Yoko's potent punches. Between the maid costume and this, I wouldn't exactly call this a good school festival experience.

Turns out Ritsu was annoyed with me, and for some godforsaken reason decided that getting Tsumugi to trip us up in the dark would be_ funny_. Sheesh!

"Man, that girl must have quite the arm!" Ritsu said, laughing. "For a girl that small, she really packs a punch!"

As much as I'd like to agree, I wasn't about to let Ritsu get away with this. Not this time.

"I CANT believe you and Mugi did that to us. What's wrong with you?" I say, angrily. "What could I have_ possibly_ done to deserve that?"

"It's what you get for being so rude, and not paying the entrance fee!" Ritsu said, looking quite annoyed herself.

"I'M A MEMBER OF THE CLASS, I CAN GO IN WHEN I WANT" I say, angrily.

"You, maybe. But not Yoko!" Ritsu said, trying to maintain her confidence.

"Yeah well... I was a bit to busy trying to prevent you from ruining my image" I say, crossing my arms.

"Pssh, like you even have an image to ruin." She says, rolling her eyes.

Okay, that's it.

"You always do this! Every time I try and make friends with a girl, you ALWAYS pull this type of shit! Remember Maho-chan from class 4? You went out of your way to convince her that I took girls to the gym storage to screw them!" I yell, calling her out. "She never spoke to me again after that!"

"Hehe, that was a good one!" Ritsu said, laughing.

This is about where I snap.

"That's not a _good one_! That's just straight up bullying!" I shout, raising my arms in exasperation.

"Calm down Conrad... it's just a jo-" Ritsu goes to reply, but I was more than just a bit impatient.

"You're just jealous, aren't you? It KILLS you to see me with other women!" I cut her off, rolling my eyes.

Oh jesus, here we go... at this point, I was as much sincere as I was_ scared_ with the words that were coming out of my mouth.

"WHAT? NO!" Ritsu shouts back, standing up. "Do you have any idea how egotistical you sound?"

"SO _WHY_ THEN? DO YOU JUST ENJOY WATCHING ME SUFFER?" I say, countering.

"N-No! I just…" Ritsu stammers, looking away.

It's probably at this point that I should stop. But hell, I feel like I have her on the ropes; I can't stop now!

"You just take my friendship for granted! Every fucking day you call me names and pick on me, and then complain when I snap back at you! Why don't you just fuck off for once!" I say, hands in the air.

Well that might have been a bit far...

"Hey! that's not..." Ritsu starts, looking quite shocked.

I feel the urge to keep talking, but I figure at this point I'd just be doing more harm than good. If I haven't already, that is...

"I'm going to go apologize to Yoko. Stay here and try not to... fuck up my social life any more than you already have." I say, still pissed off.

Looking back at Ritsu from my peripherals, I see that she was pretty hurt from that. I probably should've toned it down, but I couldn't help it! I was tired of Ritsu pushing me away from every other girl, then turning around afterwards and acting like there wasn't anything between us.

I can't let someone toy with me like that... I just can't.

Walking back to the cosplay club, I knew that later I'd have a big mess to clean up.

* * *

Upon entering the cosplay clubroom, I was immediately bombarded with insults from the other female members. All sorts phrases and terms that I've never heard before, but I'm sure weren't positive in the least.

"How could you! Yoko-chan really liked you!" one girl says.

"Ritsu was right about you!" Another said, poking me in the chest "It's just like Maho said, you're just a pervert who feels up girls... and peeps at them in the changerooms!"

The other girls all seem to shout in agreement. I, meanwhile can't help but facepalm at the accusations.

"Hey hold on! That's a blatant lie!" I try frantically to defend myself, but more and more of them keep laying on the insults.

And what's this about peeping into changerooms! Just how much had this rumor changed? Was I considered the local rapist around here?

"You know Conrad, when I said 'be gentle with her'; I wasn't thinking you'd actually…" Tanaka trails off, looking quite disappointed.

"Everyone, just _shut up_!" I say, trying to halt the onslaught.

"It was all just a big misunderstanding! An accident, I SWEAR. I never meant to hurt her! You can insult me all you want, but the fact of the matter is that I'm just _worried_ about her!" I say, defensively

The girls try and start again, but Tanaka clears his throat, and cuts them off.

"Well, you better tell her that yourself then." Tanaka said, pointing back at the curtain that divided the classroom.

"I-it's okay" A voice calls out from the other side. Yoko comes out, her eyes red and puffy, presumably from crying.

"Yoko! Jeez, I'm really sorry!" I say, walking over. "I know your probably not in the mood for excuses... but I just came here to let you know that I never meant to touch you like that, _honest._"

Expecting a reply, I was pretty surprised when Yoko laughed at me instead.

"Oh my god! What happened to your eye?" Yoko giggles between sniffles, covering her mouth slightly, and pointing at the bruised bump where my eye used to be.

"Well, You punch pretty hard…" I say, shrugging.

"Oh my god! That's from _me_? I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" She responds frantically, touching my face tenderly.

"C'mon Yoko, any right-minded girl would've done the same. I mean... you should be proud, you've got a good arm." I say, brushing her hands away. "Besides, I should be the one apologizing."

Yoko smiled at my honesty, and wipes a stray tear from her cheek. I consider going into further detail about Ritsu and her role in this whole fiasco, but I figure there's not much point in finger pointing; I just want this to be over with...

"Don't worry Conrad; these things happens sometimes." Yoko says, shrugging a bit.

Thank god...

"...Though I can't say I'll be comfortable being alone with you anytime soon…" She continues, glaring a bit "No offence."

Ouch…

"Anyway... I think the fact that you came to apologize to me, despite my… violent outburst, speaks for itself. I forgive you." Yoko said, extending her hand towards me.

"You sure you're okay? I could buy you something to make up for it." I say, shaking her hand. "I'm still not feeling redeemed. How about I get you some takoyaki?"

"D-don't worry about it Conrad-kun… I think I've done something pretty bad myself, so let's say we're even" Yoko replies vaguely, causing me some concern.

"What? What do you mean something 'pretty bad'?" I inquire nervously.

"Well...you know those pictures I took of you in the maid costume? The ones I swore never to show to anyone else?" She answers with a guilty tone.

OH FUCK. NOT THE PICTURES… THE POSES… THE MAKEUP... NO!

"Well, Tanaka... sorta helped me send them to the Keion girls… AND some of your friends back in Canada." She says, getting quieter near the end.

"But... what... how did you…" I say, bewildered.

"You left your email open on my laptop this morning" Tanaka said, guiltily. "I just sent it from there..."

"WHAT THE FUCK TANAKA! YOU FUCKING WHITE KNIGHT PIECE OF SHIT!" I say, running after him. "WHAT SORT OF FRIEND ARE YOU. THIS THE LAST FUCKIN' TIME I WEAR A GODDAMN MAID OUTFIT FOR YOU!"

My friends back home were going to have fun spreading those pictures, I could tell already. If my chances back home with girls were at all existent before, they sure as hell were gone now...

* * *

For the rest of the day, I wasted time walking around the festival, until it was time for the Keion performance. I was assigned to record the performance, so I made sure to get a front row seat, showing up early. Even though I was the only member not taking part in the performance, I was happy to be at least of some use.

Being the scaredy-cat I am, I moved most of the amps and microphones to the gymnasium by myself, earlier than planned, just so I wouldn't have to face Ritsu. I also left a note begging them not to open any emails from me, telling them the contents were 'revolting and immoral'.

Once it was finally time for the performance, I was surprised at the crowd they had drawn. I guess it was no surprise, seeing as how popular Mio and Mugi were with the boys of our school. I'd say Yui too, but she never paid much mind to any boys, opting instead to have a rather intense relationship with food, napping and "Gitah". To each their own, I suppose.

Upon seeing the girls walk onto the stage, it was apparent that the guys were going to get what they came for: fanservice.

When Miss Sawako said she would handle the costumes, I didn't expect to see them walk onto the stage in gothic lolita clothing. Y'know, I can't help but wonder if Yoko had anything to do with this. Regardless, they were all looking awesome, but Mio seemed less than happy with the situation. She always openly declared her hatred for drawing attention; If being as beautiful as her wasn't bad enough, this sort of fetish-y clothing sure would hell bring her into the spotlight.

Once the music started and MIO started to sing, however, I started to realize exactly why she was so nervous. I hadn't talked to Yui yet today, but apparently she had lost her voice, evidenced by her scratchy backup vocals throughout the songs. As such, it clearly wasn't just the outfits that made Mio so uneasy.

By the end of the performance, I got some really good pictures, and they sounded great. They hadn't practiced all that much, but they still put on an awesome performance. This was particularly true for Yui, who's improvement over the last few months was unbelievable (and frankly put me to shame...).

With thunderous applause abound, Mio yelled at the crowd; a big "Thank You!", which made me smile. That was, until she turned around and tripped on the microphone cord.

Lying on the ground, her panties were openly displayed to the whole audience.

Welp, that's... a sight for sore eyes.

Looking down at my video camera, I pondered my morals. Should I stop recording? Fuck it, this is _too_ good… I zoom in on the hilarious display. At least now I'll have a counterattack if the girls ever decided to spread those maid pictures of mine.

* * *

At the end of the school festival, the student council started to work on building a big bonfire. It was the school's annual folk dance, and apparently slow-dancing around a blazing fire was a pretty big deal here. A large and growing crowd was forming in the courtyard. Everyone was obsessed with finding a girl or boy to dance with, not wanting to be the odd ones out. I was sitting on a bench, pondering what to do. If push comes to shove, I could always just ditch... It's not like it was mandatory, and dances aren't exactly my thing.

That being said, the reason i was hanging around should come to no ones surprise.

I'd been hiding the whole day from Ritsu, not even seeing the girls after their performance. I was feeling pretty ashamed of my lack of balls, so I finally went looking for Ritsu, to ask her to dance. Even if i got rejected, at least It was an excuse to talk to her.

I eventually found her, surrounded by guys, all presumably looking for a dance partner. It was odd seeing her like this, but the boys weren't really concerned with _who_ they paired up with, rather that they got a girl period.

"Yo, Ritsu!" I say, waving to her. Luckily I'm decently taller than the other guys, so it didn't take much effort for her to see me.

"Conrad! Thank _god_!" Ritsu said, pushing her way out of the crowd of boys, and grabbing my arm. "Sorry guys!"

"Damn, she's got a boyfriend…" one boy said as the crowd dispersed.

"Isn't that the foreigner who screws girls in the changerooms?" Another whispers, barely audible to me.

Fucking hell...

As soon as the boys left, Ritsu lets go of my arm, and returns to being pissed.

"You're pretty popular, aren't you?" I say, smiling nervously.

"And why are you here? Couldn't get a dance with your precious Yoko? Get lost." Ritsu said, still obviously angered from my outburst.

"Ha-ha, okay... I deserve that. I was a dick earlier, I get it. But... can't you realize that what you did earlier was just a _little_ bit extreme?" I say, trying to calm down the brewing rage storm.

"Well... okay, I'LL ADMIT IT WAS. But what's up with all that stuff you said about me not appreciating your friendship? What about the times I helped you study? How about all the money I've lent you? You need to stop talking sometimes, and realize that it's not all about you, Conrad!" Ritsu said, ranting angrily.

As much as I wanted to restart the argument, I knew she was right. Ritsu's jokes were annoying at times, sure, but she really was one of the few people at this school I could call a true friend.

"I-I'm sorry..." I say, not knowing what else to say. "Honestly, I can't believe I said that stuff to you. It was _really_ insensitive."

Ritsu sighs.

"Did the apology to Yoko go over well?" she said, now much calmer. I was relieved that she wasn't THAT pissed.

"As well is it could have gone, considering what I did… or rather what _you_ made me do!" I say, chuckling.

Ritsu smiled. "Knowing you, you probably would've done or said something weird eventually, anyways"

"That's true…" I say, feeling strangely at peace, unwilling to jab back at her. "Friends?" I say offering her a hug.

Ritsu looks at my open arms and scoffs. Opening her mouth, then closing it, she was obviously thinking of something witty to say. Nothing ever came to her.

"Friends." she said, walking into my arms.

For the next little while, we just... stood in each other arms. I'd say it was awkward, but It felt pretty damn good. I can't speak for her, per se, but the fact that she wasn't separating an inch was definitely a sign that she felt the same.

I was really confused. Hugging like this for so long, it really felt like our feelings were mutal, but neither of us were saying anything about it, joking or not. I decide to let it drop; I didn't want to spoil the moment.

"By the way... that bruised eye really compliments the makeup, Conrad." Ritsu chuckles, grinning at me.

Sigh. Moment spoiled.

"Goddamnit, there's still some there?" I lament, rubbing my face with my sleeve. "I tried so hard to get it all off!"

Ritsu laughs, smiling wide.

"Here, let me get it." Ritsu, grabs my face with her hands. Wetting one of her finger with her lips, she rubs a spot my eyelid. "I can't believe I missed you wearing makeup... that would've made a great picture..."

I chuckle nervously, practically feeling the sweat build on my brow.

"Yeah... that _would_ be a pretty embarrassing picture... fuck..." I whisper, shaking my head.

"What?"

"Nothing."

As the folk dance is announced over the intercom, I look straight at her and she does the same. We both go to speak at the same time, but obviously cut each other off. Both of us look around sheepishly, but she nods to me to go ahead.

I was about to ask her for a dance, but I was unfortunately interrupted by Yoko, who was followed by a sad looking Tanaka.

"Conrad! P-please dance with me! Tanaka won't leave me alone!" Yoko calls to me, obviously embarrassed, but desperate.

"Uh... just one sec, Yoko-san." I say, quietly, nervously glancing towards Ritsu.

"Oh, I see how it is…" Ritsu says, looking annoyed again. "Fine! Have fun with your buddy... ya pervert!"

Jeez… not this again.

Ritsu turns away from me, but upon seeing a bunch of guys without dance partners waiting to swoop In for the kill, she spins back around wearing a _very_ different expression.

"Forget it Yoko! He was already about to ask me when you showed up!" she says while blushing, grabbing my arm.

Yoko grabbed my other arm and tugs slightly. "But I asked first! Please Conrad-san! I don't want to dance with Tanaka!"

"Yoko-chan… your words wound me!" Tanaka said, dramatically.

While the girls both tried to get my attention, I was in my own little world. You know what? I take back what I said, Japan is AWESOME.

Maybe I'm just high on life right now, but you know what? I'm never gonna get the chance to say this again... so fuck it.

"Girls, girls. There's plenty of Conrad to go around! I can dance with BOTH of you!" I say, as suave as possible.

I couldn't tell if I was joking or not, but I figured it was worth a shot.

* * *

Have you ever been slapped on both cheeks, at the same time? It hurts like a bitch.

So here I am, dancing with TANAKA. My cheeks are red and stinging like hell, which no doubt looked strange alongside the bruise on my eye. This certainly was a painful day for me.

A few feet away, Yoko and Ritsu were dancing, having a surprisingly good time together.

...Damn girls and their ability to dance without a care in the world.

"Couldn't you have shared, Yankee-san?" Tanaka said frowning.

"Shut up and back off, you're standing too close…" I say, looking away from my sad friend. "Besides, why would I 'share' with the guy who leaked the most embarrassing photos of my life to all I hold dear?"

"So cold! You should treat your boyfriend better, Conrad!" Ritsu shouts to me, as Yoko laughs alongside her.

"SHUT UP, YOU BITCH!" I yell, blushing deeply.

"What's thaaat? Keep on dancing, loverboy, or I might feel the need to check on these **pictures** Yoko-chan keeps telling me about..." Ritsu chuckles, sharing a evil grin with Yoko.

"Goddammit... This is extortion!" I cry out, as even Tanaka can't help but laugh at my expense.

The night was long and painful, but in the end, I suppose everything turned out for the best. My friendship with Yoko was damaged but salvageable, and me and Ritsu seemed to have hit a new level in our own relationship. I guess I can look back at this great day with no regrets... well except for that last mistake…

My horrible way with words struck once again; this time much more painful than usual.

* * *

_WOOT, what a chapter! I REALLY like this one. And I hope whoever is reading does too. A nice balance of romance and humor is key, friends! _

_As always, leave a review if you want something different, have complaints, or if you just want to.. well, REVIEW. _

_See you guys next time for chapter 6. If you want anything specific in it, message me or leave it in the review. It'll probably be up in a few days. _


	6. The Group Date

_**EX-BLOOD: **__Thanks for following the story! And yes, Conrad does like Ritsu, he just gets a little distracted from time to time… cheers!_

_**Ritsuber:**__ I'll see what I can do!_

_Chapter 6 is here after a HUGE delay. Sorry about this, but my family is going through a rough time right now. I also had school work up to my neck, so I took longer than expected. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter, "The Group Date"._

_**Disclaimer:**__I don't own K-ON, and never will. I do __not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters belong to the original creator(s)._

* * *

Stepping off of the airplane, I take a deep breath of Japanese air. I was just now coming back from Canada, where I spent the entirety of my winter break. Although I was standing on Canadian less than a day ago, I already miss my friends and family back home… regardless of how much shit I got for those pictures from the festival.

"Jeez. It's early January and not even a single snowflake on the ground." I sigh audibly. "Damn it, this just feels wrong to me..."

Winter may not be the most accommodating of seasons, but after growing up in a snowy place like Canada, it's always jarring to make the transition to the Japanese climate.

"You should be _happy_ we're not freezing our butts off anymore, Conrad!" My stepmom says, shaking her head.

"Yeah, Yeah…" I say, a little tired of Akane's whining.

Let's just say she had some trouble adjusting to Canadian weather. I'd like to say it was all on her, but me hitting her with a snowball only moments after we touched ground_ probably_ didn't help things along.

As sad as I was to leave my hometown, I couldn't help but smile. I was busy thinking of being able to see Ritsu, Tanaka and the others again. Even if I've had a bit of a rocky start here, I'm pretty psyched that I even have any friends to return to, _period_.

As far as the incoming schoolwork... well, I'm not exactly expecting anything positive, to put things plainly.

Oh well. As soon as I get home, I think I'm gonna pick up the phone and make plans with Tanaka. Hopefully I can squeeze out whatever fun is left before school begins again.

I wonder what that goofball is up to...

* * *

"A date, huh?" I say, sipping on my coffee. "That's surprising!"

Tanaka looks at me, annoyed.

"Er, no offense." I correct myself. "It's not like you see me getting dates, either."

He doesn't respond, but let's out a big sigh instead. It was odd seeing Tanaka shut up for once. Maybe it was because of how loud everyone else was being in this busy cafe, but he certainly was much less high-strung than usual.

"So who's the unlucky lady?" I joke, stretching my arms tiredly.

Tanaka pushes up his glasses, as usual when he is particularly flustered.

"She's a girl from my part-time job, Ikeda Chiyo" Tanaka says nervously.

"I thought part-time jobs were against school policy." I say, a little surprised that a stickler like Tanaka would bend the rules so clearly.

"I need the extra cash for cosplaying materials; that's besides the point. She asked me out a few days ago. The date's tomorrow!" He rambles on, an expression of dread creeping onto his face.

"So what? Good for you!" I say, leaning back. "I don't see the problem here."

...Or at least I say. If it were me, I'd probably be freaking out as much as my friend here. But I didn't exactly want to get involved in somebody else's romance, when I can barely keep track of my own.

"W-well… I h-h-have absolutely ZERO experience with women, so I figured you could give me some advice! I don't know what to do…"Tanaka stammers out, looking like he was at his wit's end.

"And what, you think I'M good with girls? You saw what happened at the festival, I swear my cheeks still hurt from that." I protest, rubbing my cheeks, where Ritsu and Yoko slapped me just a few months earlier.

"I know, but you're my only hope! Please, Yankee-san!" Tanaka said, slapping his hands together in prayer.

Sighing, I finish the rest of my coffee and slouch into my seat. Scratching my head, I try to level with him.

"I'd like to help man, but what do you want me to do? It's a date! I can't just follow you two around!"

Tanaka scratched his chin. "That IS true…"

My phone rang, while Tanaka was still in deep thought. Digging into my pockets carelessly, I curse under my breath as some loose change flies out of my pockets and all over the floor. Before I could retrieve them, however, I am once again reminded that I have a call waiting.

"Hello?" I answer the phone hurriedly, as I drop to my knees to retrieve all the yen I'd dropped.

"Hey, Conrad. I head you're back in Japan." Ritsu's voice calls from the other end, sounding particularly bored.

"Oh hey, Ritsu! Yeah, I'm back... who'd you hear _that_ from? I've only been here a few hours; I haven't had time to tell anyone..." I ask, curious as to how she knew exactly when I'd return.

I can hear her stumble over her words for a bit, causing me to laugh slightly; much to her annoyance.

"Y-you told everyone the date you'd be back... you told us before you left, remember?" She finally answers.

So apparently, this phone call was no coincidence. As cute as this was, I couldn't let this chance to poke fun at her go to waste... not after all she's put me through.

"I'm surprised you remembered! Did you write it down on your calendar, with a heart or something?" I snicker. I'm forced to stifle my laughter though, as I can almost hear her fuming from the other end.

"Shut up, you idiot! I just have a good memory!" She yells back, clearly not happy with my teasing.

A short silence falls on the line. As I continue to gather the loose change from the ground, I place the phone to my ear with my shoulder to make things easier.

"Did you wanna hang out today, or something?" I ask, honestly wondering why she called out of the blue.

Before I can hear her response, though, Tanaka slams his palms on the glass table. The loud rattling catches me off-guard, as I rise from my knees quickly to see what the fuck was going on. Unfortunately, I hit my head against the bottom of the table on the way up, causing me to groan in pain.

"What the fuck, Tanaka?" I manage to say, rubbing my head. Ritsu is equally vocal on the phone, just as confused as I am.

"I got it!" Tanaka yells, snatching my phone away from me; an easy feat when my there are more painful matters to attend to.

"Ritsu-san! It's Tanaka-san." He speaks into the phone, before being cut off by what sounded like shouting. Now apart from the conversation, I can only imagine how surprised Ritsu must be at Tanaka's interjection.

"H-hey hold on; I just want to know if you're free tomorrow." He continues, before pausing for a response.

"Great! You're going on a date with Conrad, okay? Be at the front of the school, at 8pm!" Tanaka commands the girl.

Just as Tanaka closes my phone, I could hear shouting on the other end.

Tanaka proceeds to hand me back my phone with a dumb grin, as if nothing had happened.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" I yell, shaking my phone in his face. "You can't just do that!"

"It's already done! This way, you can have a date with Ritsu, while simultaneously helping me with mine! It's the perfect plan!" Tanaka laughs.

"Tanaka..." I start, before the man in question gets up from our table.

"Now that I think about it, I need to get some new clothes; got to look suave for our group date, right?" Tanaka smiles. As he gathers his stuff to leave, I fail to react to what had just transpired. I was too busy wondering what had happened to the worried and depressed friend that was sitting across from me moments ago.

"Remember, the front of school, 8pm! See ya!" Tanaka says, patting me on the back and skipping happily away.

"...What just happened?" I wonder aloud, placing my head on the table. "I _have_ to be less of a pushover."

As I wallow in the frightening concept that is group dating, I barely notice a waitress approach my table.

"Um..." She begins, looking over at the door that Tanaka just dashed out of. "Will you be covering his share of the bill as well?"

Sighing, I reluctantly pull out some extra cash. This date better turn out well, Tanaka, or I might think twice next time you ask for help.

As the waitress clears our table, my phone rings again. Almost certain who it was, I eagerly bring the device to my ear.

"J-just what the heck was that about, Conrad?" Ritsu says, her stern voice causing me to tense up.

"Just one of Tanaka's stupid ideas..." I respond, rubbing my eyes in annoyance. "I would have stopped him, but that guy can be quite the handful!"

"Ah..." Ritsu speaks softly in recognition. "For a second there I thought you were so wimpy, you were having him ask me out for you!"

"W-wimpy?! I'm not wimpy! I'm going to be at the school at 8, just like he said!" I respond defensively, though nearly as sure as I sound.

"F-fine!" Ritsu responds. "Doesn't matter to me!"

"Fine! Bye!" I say, before hanging up.

Staring at the phone in my hand, I can't help but wonder what sort of messed up, passive-aggressive mess I was getting myself into.

There's no way this is going to go well...

* * *

Standing nervously outside the school, I glance down at my watch.

I stared at the hands of the clock intensely, although it certainly wasn't the time that had me so nervous.

"7:50… shit, am I too early? Will I look too eager?" I say, scratching my head.

I had barely even gotten any sleep last night, as I was fussing over the smallest details for today. I was determined to make this work, regardless of how abrupt it was.

I was so caught up in my choice of cologne I didn't even hear the sound of clattering shoes making there way towards me.

"H-hey." I hear a voice call to me, snapping me out of my little bubble of teenage anxiety.

Standing in front of me was a completely different, but extremely gorgeous Ritsu. I mean, she's always cute, but with her being a tomboy, I had never seen her made up like this. Besides her unusually stylish choice of clothing, Her hair was down for once, giving her a feminine aura I wouldn't expect from her.

I was so busy drooling over Ritsu; I didn't even bother responding to her greeting.

"Oy, Conrad. I could smell cologne from a mile away; You're not actually thinking this is a real date, right?" Ritsu laments, trying to break the painfully awkward atmosphere with her usual insults.

It didn't take much to see right through her, considering how good _she_ looked. Although I'm having trouble accepting she went to all this trouble just for me...

"Are you kidding me? And I suppose that new look of yours is just a coincidence, right?" I say, smiling. "I think I can see a bit of makeup, too!"

"W-will you shut up? Sometimes I like to look good when I go out!" she scoffs.

I knew that was a lie, coming from a girl who always wore hoodies and other simple clothing in public. I let it slide, however, not wanting to spoil the mood.

"So... where do you want to go?" Ritsu said, shuffling her weight erratically, clearly uncomfortable with her choice in footwear.

"Wherever Tanaka and his _lady friend_ want to go, I guess." I say running a hand through hair. Hair that I forgot I had styled, as my now greasy hand proves.

"Ugh, gross.." I say, wiping my hand on my pants.

"Wait, what? It's not just us two?" Ritsu answers. I shake my head, causing her to scowl.

Y'know, I could _almost_ detect the slightest hint of disappointment... although that might be my ego talking.

"What the heck is up with that?" She mumbles into her jacket collar.

I stare at her, one eyebrow raised. Was she as nervous as me?

"…" a silence forms, causing both of us to divert our eyes.

"Well... great! That way I'll have people to protect me when you try to feel me up!" Ritsu says, turning her back to me.

Ahhhh… Back to square one, eh?

* * *

**_** ONLY A SMALL WAYS AWAY - A NEW DEVELOPMENT EMERGES WITH... MIO? **_**

"Is this really necessary, Yui?" I say nervously to my unusually focused friends. "Can't we just leave Conrad and Ritsu alone?"

Mugi, Yui and I were _hiding behind a bush_ near the school. Just how suspicious was this?

The couple in question was at the entrance, doing a great impression of two awkward teenagers.

Yui, whose binoculars seemingly glued to her face, starts to giggle.

"Of course! We need to witness the romance develop between our two love birds!" She says decisively, handing the binoculars over to Mugi, who seemed equally interested.

"We should respect their privacy, Yui!" I scold her, but it falls on deaf ears; as usual... "Mugi? Help me out here!"

"Sorry Mio... but I want to see what happens too!" Mugi says, looking back at me apologetically. "We need to make sure that Conrad treats her well!"

For a girl who was so well-mannered on the surface, Mugi sure liked to get wrapped up in Yui's crazy antics...

I sigh heavily, snatching the binoculars away from the two spying girls. "I don't think you have to worry about Conrad-san... he's a pretty docile guy."

"Maybe that's just a front he puts on! Conrad-kun could be one opportunity away from turning into a _sexual deviant_!" Mugi asserts.

"Oooh... whats that mean?" Yui says innocently, listening to Mugi like a well-behaved student.

Jeez... I can't take this anymore...

Honestly, I don't know what Mugi has against Conrad. Sure, he's a bit scary... okay, he's_ a lot_ scary. For the most part, though, it seems like a surface thing. I really don't like to judge a book by its cover; even if _Conrad's_ cover is a bit... rough around the edges. It's only fair that I give him the same chance that I did to Yui and Mugi when we first met.

Oh... It seems that while I was thinking, Yui snatched the binoculars back. Great.

The two were already back to spying on Ritsu and Conrad, leaving me less than pleased.

"I know I shouldn't have told you guys about this… Ritsu is going to kill me if she finds out." I say, putting my mind back onto stopping my two crazed friends. How _did_ I end up getting dragged out here?

"She was so serious about it too..." I add, remembering what happened just a few hours earlier at Ritsu's house.

Ritsu had phoned me out of blue, getting all worked up about a _date_. Just hearing that word by itself made me pretty surprised; maybe even a bit jealous... but once I found out her date was _Conrad_, I can't really say I'm envious. Even if Conrad doesn't seem like too bad of a guy, even I had to admit that going on a date with a guy like him was pretty scary...

That didn't seem to affect Ritsu, though. As soon as I got to her place, she was already frantically trying to prepare...

"_Mio… Which one looks better on meee?" Ritsu said dramatically, holding up two stylish outfits. _

"_I don't know… It's just Conrad, right? He won't care…" I replied, looking longingly at Ritsu's bedroom door. _

"_I have homework Ritsu, please let me leave…" I continued quietly, trying not to anger the already crazed woman_

"_DON'T ABANDON ME!" Ritsu yelled, latching onto my arm. "Conrad or not, I've never been on a** date**! Lend some of your 'moe' power to me…" Ritsu said, before rolling on the floor, practically throwing a tantrum. _

"_Ritsu!" I shouted desperately at the childish girl, tired as ever with her childish ways. _

"Come to think about it" I turns back towards the other girls. "I've never seen Ritsu that flustered before... she even got me to do her makeup! She must really want to impress him..."

"Of course she does!" Yui replies simply, looking back at me.

"Hold on, Yui. You don't think Ritsu has... a _crush_ on Conrad... do you?" I ask aloud, narrowing my eyes in confusion.

"Huh? Cmon Mio, It's soo obvious! Didn't you see them at the training camp, or at the festival? They can't keep their eyes of each other!" Yui says, for once acting quite decisive in her language. "This is a classic love story!"

"Exactly! That's why we have to keep an eye on them.. t-to make sure things go well!" Mugi adds politely. Even with this blatant disregard for Ritsu's privacy, Mugi never failed to come across as harmless. Even so, something tells me Mugi has more plans in store for Conrad than she's letting on...

I look over at Yui and Mugi. As much as I wanted to be at home, doing something _infinitely_ more productive, I _have_ to stop them from messing this up for Ritsu! If Ritsu really does like Conrad, then It's my responsibility as her friend to see this date goes well.

...Right?

"Look, look! There's more of them!" Yui says, pointing at the group of teens at the entrance.

"Huh? She didn't say it was a group date..." I affirm, quite confused myself.

Despite the amount of complaining I was doing earlier, even _I_ was currently pressed against Yui's back, shamelessly peering over at Ritsu and Conrad.

So much for trying to not get caught up in this...

A boy and a girl had shown up next to them. One of them looks familiar; I think it's another guy from our class!

...Just what is Conrad up to?

"C'mon Mio, they're on the move!" Yui said, tugging on Mio's sleeve.

"I can't believe I'm doing this..." I lament, following my two club-mates reluctantly.

* * *

_An hour later… Back with Conrad._

Staring at the movie screen, I continue to fail at generating any interest in the film. When Tanaka suggested we see a movie, I was hoping for a comedy or action; something that Ritsu would like… but he ended up picking a mushy romance movie.

Despite my lack of interest, though, I was nowhere near bored; Sitting next to Ritsu had kept me on edge this whole time.

As cliché as it was, I was waiting for a good moment to make a move. Y'know, the standardized 'yawn into arm wrap' or 'hand holding' maneuvers. However, Ritsu was leaning back into her seat, her hands stuffed lazily into her jacket. She was clearly just as bored with the movie as me. Could this be going any worse?

Taking a sip of my drink, I looked over at Tanaka.

'Needs help' my ass… Chiyo, his date, was eating this romantic crap up! They weren't even watching the movie, just whispering to one another and giggling. For such an awkward guy, Tanaka was looking pretty suave.

Sneaking another glance at Ritsu, I saw that she had re-positioned herself. Her body was in prime position for plan-A!

Producing a painfully obvious yawn, I stretch my arms and slowly lower my right towards her petite shoulders.

Right before the moment of truth, however, I'm hit in the back of the head suddenly. It didn't hurt, but i was thoroughly disgusted when i reached to the back of my head to find a spitball.

What fucking punk is responsible for this? I look behind me to the source of the puke-producing projectile.

Needless to say, when I see none other than the other Keion members a few rows behind us, I was_ kind of_ caught off guard. How the hell did they know about the date? It was obviously dark in the theater, but I could still make out their faces, and more importantly their expressions. Yui and Mugi were barely stifling their laughter, while Mio had sunk deeply into her seat in embarrassment.

"What the fuck?" I remark, my surprise making my voice a bit too loud.

"What?" Ritsu says, shifting in her seat so she could look back as well.

Damn! If Ritsu finds out the Keion girls are here, our date will be practically over!

It was time for a split second reversal!

Grabbing a handful of Ritsu's unguarded popcorn, I proceed to stuff my face.

"Hey! That's my popcorn!" Ritsu yells, grabbing my full cheeks as well as the attention of everyone in the theater. "Stop that!"

...What? Were you expecting me to _kiss her_ or something? Hahaha… no. I value my life, thanks.

At the very least, she didn't notice the girls. I was in the clear, though Ritsu's angry face said otherwise.

"Gimme some of your candy, Conrad! It's only fair!" Ritsu said, practically climbing over me to get to my stash of sweets, sitting to the left of me.

My flailing arms were hardly a defense, but they still caused Ritsu to lose balance and fall on top of me.

"Jeez! Why are you making this difficult, you dumbass? You brought this on yourself!" She groans, struggling to reach my candy.

I'm not going to go into detail, but let's just say her_ bazingas_ were currently pressed into my _schwang-wang-wang_… if you catch my drift.

Ritsu, still focused on the candy, remained there for a few seconds while she took her share of candy. I, needless to say, was sitting frozen in fear and ecstasy. Did she not know what she was doing to me and my poor, hormone-crazed body?

"There we go.." Ritsu said, starting to retreat back to her seat with a handful of my candy, looking quite smug. "What was that kept poking into me, anyway?" Ritsu said, looking over at my pants.

I blush, looking away.

"GROSS! Y-you pervert!" Ritsu yells, practically leaping off of me. "Why are you thinking about that at a time like this?"

As Ritsu started to berate me, it became clear that we weren't the only ones dissatisfied with the film. Everyone around us was now more focused into _ou_r relationship, rather than the ones developing on screen.

* * *

"Why are we here, guys? You know I hate singing, Tanaka…" I say, dragging my feet as we enter the karaoke booth.

"Shut up, you _dog_. You don't get a choice after what you did at the theater" Ritsu says to me, glaring at me.

"Yeah, yeah..." I respond, sighing.

As we take our seats in the small room, I cringe as Ritsu makes sure to sit a ways away from me.

"Haha… cmon' Ritsu, it's not like he did it on purpose" Tanaka said, clearly trying to help me out.

"He totally did, though! He distracted me and stole my popcorn!" Ritsu said pointing sharply at my face. "And then he poked me with that disgusting... t-thing!"

"Don't call it disgusting; It has feelings you know!" I shout back. "B-besides, all guys my age would have reacted the same way!"

"Let's just _s-sing_, everyone… they charge per minute, after all…" Chiyo said, grabbing a microphone, smiling nervously at the tense atmosphere.

"Fine… I guess I'll go get us some drinks. What does everyone want?" I announce, wanting nothing but to get away from this stupid mess of a date.

Leaving the booth, I immediately forget all the drink orders and start scouring the place for the Keion girls, who were undoubtedly nearby.

...they weren't much for stealth however, as I found them a couple booths down the hall, laughing their asses off.

Barging into the booth, I put on the most serious face I could muster.

"IS THIS SOME SORT OF SICK JOKE?" I yell, hands in the air.

Needless to say, they were caught off guard. Mio shrieks from my outburst, clinging onto Mugi. Yui seems unfazed, though, picking out a song to sing.

"Conchan! Hi-Hi!" Yui yells, putting her best cutesy face on. Stumbling over to me, she grabs my arm and leads me to a seat.

"Yui, why does your breath smell like…" I whisper, smelling the air between us. "...sake?"

Looking over at Mugi, I see that her face was flushed as well.

"Was this your doing, Mugi?" I ask, even though I already knew the answer, the damn witch was capable of anything!

"Hoho! I had them pull some strings!" Mugi says, grabbing an obviously scared Mio. "Winter break, Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!" she yells, taking another sip of sake. Yui soon joins her in the dramatic shouting.

'Pull some strings', huh? Just what kind of karaoke establishment is this?

"Conrad, you have to help me!" Mio yells, the sober one of the trio.

Before I can respond, Yui leaps into my vision, clutching two microphones. "Sing a duet with me, Connchan!" She slurs, grinning wide.

Blushing from the sheer cuteness, I grab the mic. "W-well I guess one song wouldn't hurt…"

"CONRAD!" Mio yells, snapping me back into reality.

"…Right. I can't really leave you alone with these two, can I?" I ask, looking at the intoxicated pair.

"Please help me!" Mio pleads yet again. I feel the immediate desire to comply, as I always do with cute girls, but I suddenly remember why I came here in the first place.

"Hold on a second! Why the hell are you guys following us anyway?" I ask, extending my open hand accusingly, like some sort of anime protagonist. "Because of you three, Ritsu is pissed at me!"

"Hey! Nobody asked you to pop a **boner**!" Mugi points back at me, her vulgar choice of words throwing me for a loop. "We followed you two to protect Ricchan's innocence!"

"GODDAMMIT, I'M NOT A FUCKIN' RAPIST!" I yell, which might've been a_ little_ inappropriate in a crowded karaoke building. "You keep talking about me, but I'M NOT THE ONES STALKING PEOPLE!"

Mio stands up, and puts herself between me and the drunken Mugi, who looks like shes about go off on a rant.

"Calm down you two! They'll kick us out at this rate!" Mio says, ever careful when it came to being discreet. "Conrad, I know you're agitated, but I swear we didn't mean any harm!"

"Except for the spitball~" Yui points out, giggling.

"E-except the spitball..." Mio repeats, looking guilty.

"Yeah! What the hell was that about?" I shout at the drunken girl, causing her to frown.

"B-but Conrad... _you're_ the one who showed me how to do that!" She replies guiltily.

"I-I did?" I reply, looking at the sober Mio for confirmation.

Mio crosses her arms.

"Mhm." Mio adds, looking at me unimpressed. "You even said it was just 'harmless fun' when you convinced her to shoot everyone else..."

"Shit... I totally did, didn't I?" I answer, suddenly remembering that boring rainy day in the clubroom (as well as a retaliatory smack from Ritsu).

"Didn't expect my student to betray me, though..." I add, smirking at Yui.

Yui sends me a victory sign.

"Can we please forget about the spitball..." Mio repeats, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "We didn't mean any harm, Conrad. Ritsu was really nervous about tonight. We were just... curious."

"More like _worried_!" Mugi interjects, pouting. It was unlike her to be so confrontational; the booze must be doing its job...

"Hold on, s-she was nervous? What did she say?" I ask, a little dissapointed at my lack of transparency.

Mio gives me a knowing look.

"I don't know... she was just really nervous about how she looked, and what sort of places you would want to go... why does it matter?"

I can't help but let a smile take form on my face. Knowing that Ritsu was just as worried as I was about tonight was a relief. Maybe we're not a lost cause after all.

"I'm sure what you're thinking about is really important, Conrad, but can you please help me with these two?" Mio snaps me out of my thoughts, pointing to the two inebriated girls.

As much as I'd like to go back and continue my date with Ritsu, it wouldn't feel right leaving Mio alone to deal with these two drunkards. As long as I have a chance to patch things over with Ritsu, I guess I'm fine with tonight ending here. I'm sure if I had more time, I'd only embarrass myself again, anyway. I don't need the Keion girls stalking us for that to happen...

"Mio! Hold down the fort for a while, okay?" I ask her suddenly, opening the door to the hallway.

"Wait, don't just leave!" Mio yells desperately, her arm being snuggled tightly by Mugi.

* * *

Returning to the old booth, I waltz in to find only Ritsu, looking bored as ever.

"Jeez, how long does it take you to get drinks?" Ritsu says, stretching her arms. I could tell she was annoyed, but still relieved by my return. Maybe she had cooled down since the incident earlier.

"D-drink machine was broken! Go figure, right! Hahaha!" I blurt out, forcibly, creepy smile plastered on my face. The laugh was a bit too much, I'll admit.

"What's up with you?" Ritsu says smirking. I couldn't tell if she was amused or baffled by my antics.

Sighing, I look around. "Where are Tanaka and Chiyo?" I say, confused but hopeful. I was hoping to be alone with her anyway...

"They left to find _you_! God knows where they are now, probably making out in the halls…" Ritsu cringes at the thought.

"They _were_ pretty lovey-dovey tonight, weren't they?" I chuckle, walking over. I sit down right next to her, despite oodles of room in all directions. I could practically see her tense up.

Was I being too forward? I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

Ritsu blushes at my advances, and coughs awkwardly. "Say… why don't we call it a night? It's not like anyone's singing, right?" She laughs nervously.

The usually cheeky Ritsu acting so flustered was a sight too cute for words.

Once she started putting on her her coat, though, I went into panic mode. I really need to end tonight on a good note... I searched my memory banks for anything that could help me.

"D-Duet! Let's sings a duet!" I yell, shoving a microphone in her face.

"What?" She backs up, face getting redder "I thought you hated singing! What's up with you, Conrad?"

"B-But, Ritsu-Chan… I-I…" I stutter, grabbing her wrist, clearly not thinking straight.

"C-Chan? Conrad, W-what are you saying? " Ritsu says, pulling away and walking towards the door. "You're acting r-really weird!"

As she struggled with the door knob, I walk up behind her behind her. Although I was shaking with fear, I grab her hand in desperation.

"Don't... go, Ritsu." I say ,finally, heart beating out my chest, realizing what I just did

"Conrad, let go…" Ritsu whispers, pulling but not exactly struggling.

"Ritsu… I… I…" I start up, bracing myself. Was I really going to say it?

"Ever since I laid eyes on you... I..." I continue, my voice getting smaller.

"Wh.. what is it?" Ritsu says, turning her head slightly back, voice weak and shaky.

"I... I lo-" I blurt out, before the door flies open from the outside.

Five distinct bodies come tumbling into the room, knocking me and Ritsu down along with them.

"Oopsie daisy!" Yui says, "I guess we leaned too hard while listening in, eh Mugi?" Yui says, giggling. She was still obviously drunk, perhaps even more than before.

"Yui! Mugi! MIO! What the hell are you guys doing here?" Ritsu yells, clutching her heart, breathing rapidly.

"Forget about that! Conrad, finish what you were saying!" Mio says, obviously wanting things to work out between us.

"No! donnnnn't listen to him Richan!" a wasted Mugi yells, stmbling over to Ritsu and sticking her face to her chest. "Men are all the same!"

"I…" I start, before looking around. Everyone was listening, and Ritsu looked nervous.

The mood… was killed. I had really lost all will to confess.

"Hey, I'm kinda hungry. Can we get out of here, already?" I finish, smiling.

"Conrad…?" Ritsu said softly, concerned.

"D-dont worry about it!" I smile goofily, turning my back to the group. "Let's just go home… okay?" I say, stepping carefully over the two drunks.

"Okay…" Ritsu says quietly, sighing.

* * *

Standing at an intersection with the group, we decide to part ways. Tanaka and his date went back to her place, and Mio decided to take Mugi back to her place. Ritsu and I were left with a passed out Yui on my back. Despite the fact that us being paired together (obviously orchestrated by Tanaka and Mio) gave me time to continue my confession, it seemed like Ritsu and I had an formed an unspoken understanding that neither of us were ready yet.

After a decently long trek, we were standing outside of Ritsu's house. Ritsu motions me to give her Yui, and I more than happily oblige. For a small girl, she was kinda heavy.

Must be all the cake.

"I wouldn't take her back to her place; I don't know how Ui-chan would react if she saw a scary Gaijin like yourself carrying her drunk, passed out sister." Ritsu laughs, propping up the drowsy girl the best she could.. "She can stay the night here. ill phone Ui so she doesn't worry."

I chuckle a bit, before turning away.

"Alright, well I'll see you later Ritsu... thanks for tonight" I say, kicking at a stone.

"Yeah… see you." I hear Ritsu say and then sigh audibly, before turning and walking towards the front door.

Despite saying our goodbyes, I have to stop in place. I felt as if something was missing...

Oh, Right.

"And Ritsu?" I say, calling to her before she disappeared into her house

"Y-yeah?" She says, not expecting what I'd say next (and who could blame her)

"Promise me you'll wear you hair down more often, okay? It's.. really cute that way." I force out, smiling awkwardly.

"D-dummy!" Ritsu pouts at this. Sticking her tongue out at me, her face was reddening quickly.

I laugh as the door closes behind her, and resume my trip home.

* * *

I was whistling I walked, completely absent-minded while I think of what tomorrow might bring. The end of winter break loomed near, and despite the mountain of homework assigned, I couldn't do much but think about Ritsu and I.

"Watch out!" I hear a high pitched voice shriek, bringing me out of my love-induced haze.

The last thing I remember is getting hit by something. It was going quite fast; I hit the ground, HARD.

My head hurt, and I felt dizzy, but mostly and I was pissed off at this _bitch_ who just ran me over. I put my best Evil-Yankee face on, and turned to the crashed bike.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU! THE WHOLE GODDAMN ROAD TO RIDE ON AND YOU CHOSE THE SIDEWALK?" I yell, in English.

What I saw, instead of the devil girl I imagined in my head, was a cute girl with black pigtails, clutching what looked to be a broken guitar.

"I-I'm sorry!" she yells, tears forming in her eyes.

Slinging the broken guitar onto her back, she proceeded to ride away, practically bawling her eyes out.

"W-wait!" I yell back, suddenly feeling guilty.

She had these big, cat-like eyes, and boy was she tiny! I felt like I had just kicked a puppy!

Feeling like shit, I continued my walk home, hoping that my night wouldn't get any more eventful, lest I end up in the ICU.

* * *

_Hahaha! Can you guess who it is? Yeah, I know… obvious. But regardless, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I made it really long due to the delay, as a special treat to those who read and comment on my story, you guys rock!_

_Until next time, see ya!_


	7. Another Transfer Student?

_**EX-BLOOD: **Thanks a bunch! Happy that you're still reading, that makes MY day!_

_**RitsuxPianoxObsession: **Wow! Reviews like this really keep me motivated! Thanks so much for reading, and I will definitely try my best to finish this story._

_**Muddie: **Thanks for reading, and I will definitely continue writing, so keep your eyes peeled_

_Hello friends! Sorry for yet another long delay, but I do have a lot of shit on my plate right now.. I've been thinking up all sorts of ideas for the story however, so hopefully it'll come out nice, as opposed to a jumbled clusterfuck of FAIL, haha. Anyways, enjoy!_

* * *

Groaning, I slowly shuffle my feet through the doors of my new classroom.

It was a lovely day in Tokyo; the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom…

I couldn't really give a shit, though!

My eyes, weighed down by my lack of sleep, had no interest in the beautiful trees. My body, stiff and hopped up on caffeine moved around like a poorly oiled robot… I could barely propel myself to Sakuragaoka. Winter break was fucking over, folks!

It was a new classroom, a new class, and a brand new school year. My precious winter break, the last few weeks of my first year, and golden week all went by in a flash. Here I was, back at square one…

Walking... well, more like crawling into the classroom, I was greeted by perhaps the most annoying voice ever, that of one Hayashi Tanaka. He was a morning person; needless to say I was _not_.

"Heloooo Yankee-san!" He shouts cheerily

"Hey Tanaka… and here I was hoping I wouldn't have to deal with your shenanigans this year..." I say bitterly, sitting down in a random seat.

"What's with the dark circles under your eyes?" He replies, now immune to my daily verbal abuse. "Are you sick, or something?"

"I got too immersed in this RPG, and forgot all about school. I was up ALL NIGHT. I'M TIRED AS HELL… So I figured- " I try to finish, before being cut off.

"By the way, Conrad, Yoko is in our class this year! Do you think I have a chance with her?" he chirps away happily.

"I FIGURED YOU COULD GIVE ME SOME SPACE TODAY" I finish, my bloodshot eyes focused on him.

"Well alright then, grumpy pants" he says, before sitting _right next to me_ and whistling loudly.

"Are you fucking serious, Tanaka?" I mumble, getting up.

Taking a walk around the class, I find Mio. It seems she's the only K-on member (other than myself) in this class. With her being a mature, polite, and most importantly QUIET girl, I go to sit down next to her instead.

"You mind if I sit here?" I say tiredly, making Mio jump a bit, startled as usual.

"Oh, Conrad-san! Thank goodness, I thought I was going to have no friends in this class." Mio asks, looking relieved. "Did you have a good golden week?"

"Kind of, it was pretty boring…" I say, planting my butt in the seat next to her.

"Oh… I see" Mio says, smiling sheepishly, as an awkward silence forms between us.

"I did buy this brand new RPG, though" I say, trying to cut the silence

"Arr-Pee-Gee…? What's that?" Mio asks confused, cute as a button.

"An RPG! You know, like Final Fantasy? With dungeons, quests, monsters.. stuff like that!" I say, trying to get the message across.

"Sorry, I don't really know anything about card games…" Mio says, blushing.

"It's not a card game…It's kind of like… It's sorta… Fuck." I say tiredly, burying my face in my hands. My Japanese, even after a year, still was nowhere near good enough to explain.

Another silence is created amidst my incompetence.

"Hey Mio!" Nodoka smiles, walking over to us.

I raise my head, happy that the silence was over. Although Nodoka and I didn't get along that well since I was such a crappy student, she would at least relieve me of this awkward situation.

"I was separated from Yui this year, but I'm glad you're here at least!" She says with a big grin.

Mio's eyes start to well up with tears, I wonder why?

"Nodoka! Thank god you're here! I thought I was going to have nobody to talk to!" She says, a little too happily.

"HEY!" I yell. "At least wait until I'm out of earshot!"

Unfortunatley, it seems my complete lack of experience with the opposite sex is becoming clear once again…

* * *

"Before we begin class, we have a transfer student arriving today" Our teacher says, adjusting his glasses.

The room suddenly erupted in chatter, as muttering and whispers pretty much overpowered any other sound in the classroom. Was it like this when _I_ came to Sakuragaoka?

Couldn't be...

I turn to Mio and tap her on the shoulder.

"What's up with everyone? It's just a transfer student…" I say, confused.

Turns out a girl in front of me heard me, and turns around with wide eyes.

"There's a rumor going around that… _Hamada Yukio_ was looking to go to a normal high school this year!" The girl says, putting a disgustingly romantic emphasis on the name.

To be honest, I'm surprised this girl was even bothering to talk with me; I wasn't exactly Mr. popular around here. For whatever reason, this girl was passaionate about this Yukio guy that she was willing even to gush to _me_ about it.

"Who the heck is that?" I say, looking at Mio.

"You don't know him? He's a really famous teen musician." Mio shrugs, playing with her pen. "He's not THAT good, though… he's mostly known for being good looking"

"Apparently he wants to try living a normal, non-celebrity life." Another girl chimes in, looking too excited for her own good.

Figures the only time girls would pay attention to me was when it was concerning some other guy... Ah, it's not like I'm not used to it.

Contrasting with the rest of the class, Mio was pretty much the only girl not drooling right now. And good for her, I say; the whole 'idol' scene in japan seemed too contrived for it's own good.

Anyway, it's not like it was for sure that he's going to be the transfer student, it could be anybody...

Or at least I thought, as soon the much-discussed idol waltzed into out class. I know this, not because I recognized him, mind you. But because every fucking girl in the class decided to squeal in glee as soon as they saw him.

"...Why did this have to happen today?" I bemoan, covering my ears.

"Hello everyone. I'm Hamada Yukio." He begins, smiling.

"We know who _you_ are!" A girl calls out from the back of the class, causing everyone else to start shouting as well. Whatever fake-ass introduction this guy was about to lay on us was cut off as a result.

As the guy stood in front of us, unable to do much other than absorb all the attention our class was sending his way, it gave me a chance to give the guy a once over.

Now, I don't swing that way... but this guy is fuckin' GORGEOUS. He's fairly tall for a Japanese teen, has a perfectly tousled head of jet black hair, a slightly feminine face, and the brightest smile this side of the hemisphere. Christ, he looks like he had just came from a photo-shoot; it's almost sickening.

"Yukio-Kuuuun!" The girls cooed at him, some shrieking. Yukio just waved back with this stupid look, his eyes practically sparkling. I could tell he was just trying to act modest and shy on purpose, though. My asshole-sensors were off the charts, so to speak.

"What a joke, eh?" I say, turning to Mio.

Failing to respond to me, Mio's face had completely changed from before. She was blushing and gazing shyly towards the idol.

"Goddamnit, not you too…" I say facepalming. Even Yoko, the usually serious and studious girl, was holding eye contact with him, smiling. This man had powers over girls beyond my comprehension.

"You remind me of myself, when I was in my prime!" our teacher says to him, patting 'Yukio-kun' on the back, laughing. "Now, we have to establish the seating order."

"Let's see here..." he says, looking over the seating plan.

Needless to say, the girls of the class were all crossing their fingers to be put next to Yukio, while all the guys (including me) simply hoped they were as far away as possible from him.

But life's a bitch, aint it?

In the end, I found my self in the back left corner, with Yukio in front of me and Tanaka to my right, leaving these two bumbletards as my sole social outlets.

I really have to wonder sometimes if some god or goddess has it out for me, because this is just too much…

Eventually, the pretty boy turns back to me and looks at me up and down, as if sizing me up. Upon meeting my eyes, he has this almost pitying expression. I guess I didn't meet his grooming standards; the bastard.

"What do you want?" I say, growing impatient under his scrutiny.

"You're American, right? I've been there a few times; it's great! I hope we can have a good year together!" He says, smiling, extending his hand to mine.

Whatever... let's just get this over with. I reach out for his hand, accepting the handshake with a... less-than-friendly grip.

"By the way, the way you tie your tie is pretty sloppy..." He continues in english, still smiling. "That's not how you make a good impression."

"Who's trying to make an impression?" I reply, pulling my hand away. "Piss off."

He seems taken aback, thought only for a moment. His usually cool gaze soon returned, as she shakes his head heavily.

"You really are a typical westerner, aren't you?" He replies in a perfectly accented response, before pulling his hand away and facing the front.

Damnit... figures that he wouldn't even flinch. This guy is just _too_ composed. All it made me want to do was unmask him for the prick that he really is.

Steaming in anger, I clutch the sides of my new desk. That motherfucker, he thinks he's so much better than me! And what's wrong with my tie? I'm pretty sure it's tied right... dammit.

Some nearby students were visibly confused at our exchange, and probably as to why I was so damn pissed for the rest of the period.

I really can't get a break today, can I?

* * *

At the end of the day… this long, long day… I finally get the chance to go to the Keion clubroom. Hopefully, besides my lack of energy and luck, there will be at least something there for me to enjoy today. The face of a certain drummer comes to mind, for obvious reasons.

Opening the door, I lazily remove my socks and shoes, before throwing them to the side.

"Hey everyone…" I say lazily, not even bothering to look at the girls occupying the table.

Upon placing my bag down on the bench, I look longingly at the wooden furniture.

_Fuck_ club practice, I need some sleep. I plop myself onto the bench and bury my face into my bag. Welp, a hard bench was better than nothing…

"Conrad-san?" I hear Mio from across the room, clearly concerned.

"It's okay Mio, I just need some rest…" I respond reassuringly

"CONRAD!" Ritsu yells, much louder than her shy friend.

"WHAT? CAN'T A GUY GET SOME SLEEP?" I say, getting up and looking over to the tea table.

To my embarassemnt, two complete strangers were sitting at the table, looking understandably terrified at my outburst. It didn't help either that they were two cute girls, either. One looked distinctly like Yui, now that I think about it.

"Kind of a simpleton, isn't he?" A voice announces, sounding particularly unimpressed.

Who the hell was that? It sounded kind of like...

MOTHERFUCKER! It's that asshole Yukio! What's _he_ doing here?

It seems he was off admiring Mugi's fine china, leaving me unaware of his presence. That, or I'm just too damn tired to notice shit like that...

"What the hell?" I say, rubbing my eyes, as if I was hoping the idol was merely a hallucination.

The girls all giggle. "A simpleton, huh? Pretty much." Ritsu says, smirking at me.

I sigh. She agreed _way_ too readily at that.

"Conrad… We're recruiting freshmen today, remember?" Mio says, embarrassed for me. "Try to be presentable…"

"Oh… right. Welcome!" I say to the two new girls, trying to put on a big smile. With my lack of shoes, zombie eyes, and messed up tie, I later realized this probably came across more creepy than anything.

"This is my sister, Ui-chan, and her friend, Jun-chan!" Yui says, voice muffled from her stuffing her face with cake.

Sister, huh? That would explain the resemblance...

"And what do you play… erm… Conrad-san, was it?" Jun says, looking quite nervous.

I'm stunned by the quesiton for a moment. What _do_ I do around here? The fact that I have to think about that is kind of...

"I... I _guess_ you could say I play backup bass?" I say, fixing my tie.

"Don't listen to him. He's just muscle we use to move equipment!" Ritsu whispers to the newcomers, sending me a sly smile.

"Oh, _HAHA_" I laugh sarcastically, before grabbing some pastries.

Yukio chuckles lightly "You're quite the joker, Tainaka-san."

"Oh, haha, well I try!" Ritsu leans back into her seat, blushing a bit.

Since when did he get all buddy-buddy with Ritsu? Then again, I doubt this guy has _ever_ had to put in effort to get girls to like him...

"I-I'm funny too, Hamada-san!" Mio butts in suddenly, before turning scarlet red."I uh..."

Well... that was _uncharacteristic_ of her; she was obviously starstruck.

"N-nevermind..." She adds, before sinking into her seat. Yukio just smiles in return, causing her face to flare up further.

"Hey, Yukio-kun! Would you mind playing something for us?" Yui says, excited, completely oblivious of Mio's outburst. She, along with Mugi, seemed generally unaffected by Yukio's power over women.

"Oh, I shouldn't. I don't want to steal the spotlight from you girls." Yukio smiles, waving his hands.

"What, are you worried you can't sing without auto-tune?" I chuckle to myself, before pouring myself some tea.

Yukio raises a brow at me, before smirking.

"I'm sorry if I don't live up to your standards, Conrad-san. Would you like to play in my place?" he says pompously, motioning me to his obviously expensive guitar.

"Yeah, Conrad, you're being rude!" Ritsu says, obviously frustrated with my antics "And stop eating all the cookies, they're for the recruits!"

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry…" I say, not wanting to piss Ritsu off. "Go ahead, _lover boy_, play for your harem."

"You know, Conrad, if me being here bugs you so much, why don't you set up the equipment in the gym for these girls' performance tomorrow?" Yukio says, pointing at the amps by the door.

"Because I don't take orders from you, alright?" I smirk, trying to appear cool in front of the girls.

"Conrad… you told us you'd do that this afternoon!" Mio says, facepalming

"Er… right." I say, exasperated.

I entertain the concept of coming back; perhaps to regain some of my lost pride... but, honestly, I'd rather just get the hell out of here. Luck was just not on my side today...

"I'll be heading home after I'm done, so I'll see you guys later" I add, sighing.

Walking towards the door, I pass Yukio. He gives me this fake smile, as if VICTORY was spelled across his face.

"You know, you don't really make a great impression either, dude." I remark, as I turn back to face him. "That is, unless you're_ trying_ to come across as a pretentious dick."

He doesn't respond, opting instead to shrug, looking at the other girls for support.

Sighing, I mkae my way over to the door. At least in the gym I can be alone for a while; I'm not sure how much more of this day I can take.

"...Typical American." He speaks finally, right as I pass the door frame.

"I'M **CANADIAN**, YOU JACKASS!" I yell, sticking my head in the room.

"Conrad! The EQUIPMENT?" Ritsu, says impatiently.

"Yeah, Yeah, I'm gone…" I say, before finally closing the door behind me. As I begin walking down the stairs, I can faintly hear the sound of Yukio's voice beginning to sing a song. I sigh heavily, as lo and behold, the idol sang near-perfectly even _without_ the use of auto-tune.

* * *

"...Stupid pretty boy, thinking he can call me out like that, I'll show the bastard." I rant angrily, walking through the halls, towards the gym.

I bump into a small figure as I turned a corner. It wasn't anything major, but her small form made it forceful enough to send her falling backwards. Well shit; In my frustration, I wasn't paying much attention.

Hey, she looks... oddly familiar...

"Ouch…" the girl hisses quietly, before looking up.

"Are you okay?" I ask nervously. Walking over to her, I extend a hand to help her up.

Yeah! Now that I get a good look, she looks kind of like that girl who… WAIT.

"S-sorry, I didn't see you!" She frantically gets up on her own, before walking around me quickly.

"Hold on a sec! Aren't you the girl who ran me over with a bike before?" I say, annoyed, but concerned.

The girl goes pale, her eyes widening.

"Oh my god, that was _you_?! I-I'm sorry; please don't beat me up, Gaijin-san!" she says, putting her arms up in defense.

Jeez… this girl, barely up to my chest in height, was cute as hell.

"No! It's not that; I wanted to apologize! Didn't you break your guitar?" I say, turning back towards her.

"Oh, haha, well the accident was my fault, so…" She says nervously, obviously wanting to get away from me.

"No, seriously! I wasn't really paying attention either that night." I say, trying to look as harmless as possible; my... unusual looks probably weren't helping. "Some weird stuff happened to me that night. My head was in the clouds, and next thing I know... uh..."

She gives me a strange look, as if I was abstract painting or something. Can't say I'm surprised; I get that reaction a lot.

"Yeah." I finish, feeling a little nervous under her scrutiny. "I'd be more than happy to help pay for the repairs."

Y-you'd do that?" She said, clearly surprised. I guess she got it in her head that since I yelled at her that night, that I was some Yankee delinquent or something.

"Y-you don't have to..." She adds, looking uncomfortable.

"I insist! Just let me bring this amp to the gym, and we'll talk about it, okay?" I say, waving her to follow me.

"Alright… we'll have to go get an estimate though…" She said, walking behind me but maintaining some distance.

"I'm leaving home regardless, just lead the way!" I reply, smiling.

Who knows, maybe this'll get my mind off that damned Yukio?

Well, despite the blow to my bank account…

* * *

Her name is Nakano Azusa.

Walking with this girl, I felt at ease for what seemed like the first time today. We were discussing our favorite bands, genres, albums; turns out we have a lot in common. Despite the initial awkwardness between us, It seemed like we were starting to enjoy each others company. She was pretty, smart and had a cute personality…

Maybe a nice, polite girl was what I needed after all, not some pushy-

"Perrrverrrrt" I hear Ritsu's voice echo throughout my head.

Right! I have Ritsu! What the fuck am I thinking?

I love her, and she... she loves _me_?

Eerily on cure, I look forward, spotting Ritsu and what appeared to be YUKIO, walking together. Was I hallucinating from lack of sleep? I quickly denounce that as I faintly hear the two laughing. They were heading into a small restaurant, as Yukio was holding the door for Ritsu, the gentlemen as always.

"Oh, that _sonnovabitch!"_ I say, out loud, not forgetting that Azusa was still right next to me.

"What? Conrad-san, are you even listening?" Azusa taps me on the shoulder. "The turn to the music store is right here!"

"Hold on, can we stop in that restaurant for a little bit?" I say, pointing at the colorful store front down the road.

"W-what? Conrad, you're a nice and all but I didn't agree to a _date_!" Azusa says, blushing, but slightly disgusted. "Is _this _why you're offering to help pay for my guitar?"

"What? No! I-I Just need some… coffee! You know, caffeine boost!" I say, shrugging.

Please, Azusa, just let me see what Yukio is up to!

"...A-alright, but I don't have tons of time, okay?" She says, fidgeting nervously. "I have to get home soon!"

"Perfect!" I say, walking quickly to the diner. Time to find out what's up!

* * *

Practically stalking into the diner, I find the two lovebirds… sickening. Ritsu looked like she was having a grand old time. It's not that I don't trust her, I just need to confirm that this isn't a date, that's all. I sit down in the booth behind them, slouching into my seat so they couldn't see me.

"Conrad-san, why are you being so creepy?" Azusa says, raising an eyebrow at my behavior.

"H-hey! Don't say my name!" I hiss, motioning her to sit down.

Asuze tenses up, looking warily at me. "What the heck is going on?"

I cough awkwardly, then look at her very seriously.

"A-alright, I'll come clean. You see this guy in the booth behind me?" I whisper, making a slight gesture to the back of me.

"Yeah… wait, isn't that-" Azusa says, surprised.

"Shh. Yes, that IS Hamada Yukio, famous pop idol. Now I need you to believe me when I say that boy is _quite perverted_. There's even rumors going around that he likes to seduce his fans, and dump them the next day. The girl with him is my friend. And I, Nakano-san, am simply protecting her from a possible threat." I say, finishing my elaborate cover up.

I mean, c'mon, it's half right, isn't it? …kinda.

"But... why the secrecy?" Azusa whispers back, obviously doubting me. She seemed interested, however, like this was a T.V drama or something.

"I... I don't want to embarrass her" I reply simply. "Now wait a sec, and let me listen in."

Damn, I'm good.

"Okay… I guess I'll get us some coffee?" Azusa says, shrugging.

"You do that. This investigation could take a while." I whisper, trying to act serious.

Score! Free coffee!

"So Hamada-san…" I hear Ritsu say, almost inaudible from my position.

"Call me Yukio" Yukio replies, in his _stupidly sweet_ voice.

"Right… Yukio-san. Here's the signup sheet for the Keion." She says, as I hear the shuffling of paper.

"Our band could use another guitarist. It would really help flesh out our sound, and I think you'd be perfect!" Ritsu says, excited.

Hold on a sec... Yukio, in the band? God, anything but that! That's fucking IT… I can't stand by and watch this happen.

"H-hey! Are you shitting me?" I say, getting up from my booth. "Him? In the band?"

"Conrad, what the hell are you doing here?" Ritsu says, looking confused as hell. Understandable... given my less than couth interruption.

"I... I've worked my ass off for the past year, lugging heavy-ass amps, recording your performances, putting up posters, going to club president meetings, and I didn't even get to perform a single SONG with you guys! But this asshole waltzes right in, and gets free fucking admission?" I yell, hands in the air.

"C-Conrad, but you told us you didn't WANT to perform live!" Ritsu says, still clearly confused at my appearance.

"Well... I didn't think you we're looking for a new member! You could've at least asked me how I felt about this. Some pretty-boy talks to you for a few hours, and you forget all about me!" I refute, before being cut off by Yukio.

"Um... Who's this here?" Yukio says, pointing behind me.

Turning around, it was Azusa.

"H-hi." She waves sheepishly at Yukio and Ritsu. She was obviously embarrassed for me, as the whole diner was watching our spat.

"Me? Look at you, Conrad. It's always some new girl with you, isn't it? Maybe if you weren't such a indecisive, hypocritical, perverted… IDIOT, I'd be more eager to work you into the band!" Ritsu yells, now frustrated herself.

"Let's go, Yukio-san." She finishes, getting up from the table.

"Wait! She's not... It's not like that!" I say, trying to grab her attention.

Alas, the two left fairly quickly, paying their bill, and not saying a word.

"What was that about? I thought you were protecting her..." Azusa says to me, as she pulls me out of the diner. That is, not before apologizing to the staff for my outburst.

Why do I always speak before I think...

* * *

"Conrad-san… I know I'm no expert in relationships… but you should probably be more kind to that girl." Azusa says to me, worried.

We were currently in the music store, waiting for a estimate on the repairs.

"I know, I know… it's just, we're always so argumentative with each other. It's pretty normal for this to happen." I say, depressed, fiddling with a pick in my hands.

Azusa looks down at her feet, frowning.

"Do you like Yukio-san's work?" I say, trying to change topics. I didn't feel like talking about this mess anymore.

"Not really. His voice is so overproduced and his guitar playing is simple and superficial, so no thanks. Besides, you said he's a pervert, right?" Azusa says, smiling a bit for once.

"Oh yeah. He's a TOTAL sleazebag" I chuckle to myself.

"It makes sense, with the way he parades himself around the school; chatting up all the girls, but acting really shy and cutesy when he talks. It's so fake." Azusa says, scoffing. "I mean, I'm just a random teenager, but _I _could probably play better than him." She adds, looking at the guitars on display, probably bored.

***Ding*! **

Just as the store clerk approaches the counter, a light bulb in my head goes off, alerting me to a potential plan.

"Sorry miss, but the damage to this guitar is quite extensive; the repair bill is going to be higher than I thought" The clerk says reentering the room, and handing a paper to Azusa.

"Oh no… I don't have that kind of money!" Azusa says, looking at the estimate, desperately.

"I'll spot you for it. Just pay me back later!" I say, a little too inspired.

"What? But Conrad-san, look at the price!" Azusa says, shoving it in my face.

"Nakano-san, do you want to be in a band? A REALLY GOOD one?" I say, completely ignoring her words and snatching the paper from her hand. "You want to prove yourself against Yukio-san, right?"

"What? I mean, I guess, but why-" she says, surprised, but I cut her off.

"Then join the Keion! Just think of it as a favor for me spotting you for the repairs." I say, excited.

"B-but I was going to join the _jazz_ club!" She says defensively.

"Don't worry, you don't even need to commit right away, I just need you to pretend you're interested, and prepare yourself accordingly!"

"Prepare? For what?" she says, looking strangely at my brightened face.

"A Guitar battle! You versus Yukio!" I say, smiling evilly at her. "You're going to score a spot on the schools hottest all-girl band, and I can remove a certain _thorn_ from my side that's been bugging me lately!"

"Deal?" I say, extending my hand, grinning wide.

"Where the heck did that come from?" Azusa stares suspiciously at my hand, before sighing.

"...Fine. But I'm doing this for the girls of the school, not you! Yukio's ego needs to be knocked down a notch!" Azusa says, shaking my hand, getting at least somewhat excited.

"All right! You hear that, Yukio? We're coming for ya!" I announce happily, fist pumping. "We can discuss this further tomorrow. Come to the gym at lunch, okay?"

"The freshman assembly? Why" She responds, tilting her head.

"You're gonna get a taste of what the K-on is capable of!" I say happily, giving her a cheesy smile and thumbs up.

"uh, sir… the bill?" The clerk says, impatiently waiting for us to finish talking.

"er…right." I say, digging into my wallet. "No worries! It'll be worth it in the end, right?" I smile at Azusa. "This is going to be awesome!"

"What have I gotten myself into…" Azusa sighs, shaking her head.

* * *

_And that's it! Wow, that was a long chapter. Two notable things I decided in this chapter. Firstly, I wanted to introduce a love rival, Yukio, because I think that would help spice up the story. Secondly, I wanted to leave it on a sort off continuation/cliffhanger, as opposed to the usual closure type ending. I'm not entirely sure about the storyline, but I guess that's up to you guys, the readers!_

_Tell me in your comment, if you like where the story is going, and what things you think I could improve on or include more of. See you guys next time!_


	8. The Battlefield of Love

_**RitsuxPianoxObsession: **__Thanks for your continued support! And yeah, hopefully Conrad won't fuck up this time…_

_**Muddie: **__I'm guessing you're a fan of Azusa :D? Thanks for reading! hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter!_

_**ISHAFROMINDIA: **__Thank you for making me laugh! I can't promise a lemon, or a tear-cascading ending, but I can assure you Conrad wouldn't mind a piece of that "perfect ass" haha!_

Hey guys, looks like it's time again to revisit the ever exciting, excellent adventures of Conrad Ferguson! Onward… towards "The Battlefield of Love"!

* * *

Sakuragaoka High. Day of the highly anticipated Freshmen Welcome Assembly. Amongst the shining sun, excited chatter and giggling girls, one could barely notice what was truly lurking in the halls of this accursed school... A DEMON.

A battle was brewing, one that could decide the very fate of not only the light music club, but the school itself…

...Or at least, I'd like to think that was the case. Could you blame me for wanting to pump myself up?

Misplaced epics aside, it truly is a day to savor. My newly found ally Azusa and I are putting in motion a plan that will put Hamada Yukio, resident pompous player and delirious douchebag, out of commission. A guitar battle between the two Keion newcomers will decide the outcome.

It was lunch break, and Azusa and I were making our way to the clubroom, to break the news of our plan to the others.

"And remember, Azusa, we don't want to scare him off, or become antagonized, so our proposition should be short, courteous, and most importantly: CLASSY" I drawl on, matter-of-factly.

"That's great, Conrad-san… but you've never even said how this battle was goin to work? What do I even play? How can we win when all the girls in the club are crushing on Yukio-san?" The small girl prods me with questions, as she struggles to keep pace with my larger, more confident steps.

"Only Mio seems to be affected by his evil power..." I begin, sounding a bit too overdramatic. "As long as Mugi and Yui are their old oblivious selves, we should be fine." I finish, reassuringly, heading up the stairs to the clubroom.

"What about Tainaka-san?" Azusa asks, worried. "She sounded pretty excited to have Yukio in the band...

I sigh heavily at the mention of that forehead girl. She was probably still pissed off at me for being such a creep; I doubt I could count on her support. Even so, that left us at 2-2 tie. If i can cheat my way into having a vote, we might just have a chance of getting rid of this bastard!

"Doesn't matter. As long as you play as well as you said you could, there should be no problem!" I reply, turning to her, patting her on the shoulder.

"You make it sound so easy… did you prepare for this it all?" She says, facepalming.

"Nope! Besides…" I say before cracking the door open.

I was immediately bombarded by the sound of the newest sickeningly cute song produced by 'Ho-Kago Tea Time'. It was clear that the girls were practicing for their performance tommorow; I could barely hear myself think.

"I'M not the one who's gonna be doing the battling!" I shout over the music, smiling widely at the pouting girl, before finally entering the Keion.

"You're so simple-minded…" Azusa says, following me reluctantly.

* * *

Waltzing quietly into the room, Azusa and I wait patiently for the girls to finish their performance. They were all concentrating and practicing harder than usual for the ceremony, so I didn't feel like spoiling it over my pity rivalry.

Ritsu was so into her drumming that it actually took her a while to notice our presence. Upon seeing me and Azusa, she stopped immediately and gave us a wary stare.

"Ritsu? What's up?" Mio says, looking back at the motionless drummer.

Shaking it off, she looks back at Mio, giving her an O.K signal.

"It's nothing! I just didn't notice Conrad and his friend over there, that's all." Ritsu says, pointing one of her drumsticks at Azusa.

As she gets up to grab some food, I noticed Ritsu wouldn't make eye contact with me. She seems miffed, and I hardly blame her. Showing up here with Azusa the next day does seem a little arrogant, at least from her perspective.

Yukio, who was watching the girls practice from the sidelines, seemed to take a liking to my arrival, for whatever reason, and gave me his usual fake smile.

"You sure like to cause a fuss, don't you, Conrad?" He says, turning to me.

"You got a problem?"I ask, glaring at him.

"No, I'm just surprised you showed up after your embarrassing outburst yesterday at the diner. And with your new girlfriend at that… don't you think that's a little unfair to Ritsu?" Yukio continues, walking over to Ritsu, who was resting at the tea table.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Azusa starts, but being completely ignored by Yukio. He was clearly absorbed in his own monologue.

"Though, I guess it's somewhat convenient that you came, Conrad-san. I have something I want to discuss…" He says, smiriking.

"And what might that be?" I ask sarcastically. What was he getting at?

"I'm not blind you know. I see the way you swoon at Ritsu all day… how you cling to her. You're head over heels for her, aren't you?" Yukio finishes, placing his hand on Ritsu's shoulder, who proceeds to spit out her tea.

Blushing, Ritsu looks up at Yukio with wide eyes.

"Yukio-san!" Ritsu shouts at him, appalled.

"Don't be coy, Ritsu, we all know you like him back…" Yukio says, smirking at her.

The room goes silent, as Ritsu looks around the room frantically. As she glanced at each of her friends, they each nod, agreeing guiltily with Yukio's statement. I guess me and Ritsu weren't being as covert with our feelings we thought...

"It's true, It's true!" Yui agrees suddenly, oblivious to the tension. "You're always staring at Connchan when he's not looking!"

"S-shut up, Yui!" Ritsu replies, eyes wide as saucers.

"Y-you do?" I press Ritsu, now feeling my own face heat up in embarrassment.

"N-n-no! I-I dont... you... but..." Ritsu stutters out, cleary unprepared for this.

"You know what I think?" Yukio says, turning to Ritsu. "You're clearly deserve someone better! You saw him yesterday at the diner; He's simple-minded, obnoxious, rude, and most importantly, he's _unfaithful_!" Yukio exclaims dramatically, pointing at Azusa.

"Y-You!" I say, face red in an odd mixture of embarrassment and unbridled rage.

"I'm NOT his girlfriend!" Azusa shouts again, probably exasperated at our ridiculous group dynamic.

Damnit... I was supposed to be the one on the offensive today, not him!

"You should forget about him! You're not like the other girls, Ritsu! You're independent, intelligent, confident, funny and beautiful! You're totally incompatible with him! If you're gonna go out with someone, it should be someone who actually appreciates you. Like me!" He finishes, pointing to himself and smiling.

Before the blushing Ritsu could even respond, I cut her off, essentially letting lose all the frustration pent off from the past two days.

"Will you shut your fucking _trap_?" I shout, walking over to him. Grabbing his collar, I nearly lift him off the ground.

"What are you doing? What about the plan?!" Azusa shouts, grabbing my arm. She was trying to loosen my grip on Yukio, but Azusa wasn't exactly the strongest of girls.

"New plan! Me and Yukio are going to go outside for a short talk!" I seethe, tightening my grip. "Though I have a feeling it wont be very _conversational_, eh Yukio?"

"W-what?" Yukio responds, looking at me with disdain. "Are you kidding me?"

"Y-you're just proving his point! Put him down!" she continues, struggling to make me budge.

"L-listen to the girl!" Yukio says, struggling against my hands, but just as angry.

Looking around, the other members looked scared, particularly Yui, who was hiding behind Mugi. Looks like I let my jealousy get the best of me yet again…

"FINE!" I yell, dropping him.

"You're a... _barbarian_!" Yukio yells, clutching his throat, kneeling on the floor dramatically. "How could you ever like such a violent delinquent?" He finishes, turning to Ritsu.

"I'm not a delinquent, you jackass! You can't just come into here and badmouthing people; you should expect this sort of thing to happen! Ritsu, tell him he's out of line!" I yell, pointing to the grounded idol.

"Don't drag her into your idiotic scheme, you oaf." Yukio yells, brushing himself off. "Ritsu, can we _please_ remove the delinquent?"

"Oh, but it's okay for you to ask her? You're such a hypocrite." I laugh, shaking my head.

"You two…" Ritsu mumbles, clenching her fist.

"YOU'RE BOTH KICKED OUT OF THE CLUB! GET THE **FUCK** OUT OF HERE!" Ritsu yells, hands rigid at her sides.

"But Ritsu!" Yukio and I squeal, almost in unison.

"OUT, OUT OUT!" she continues, pushing us out of the room.

* * *

_A short while later..._

"I can't believe you told the principal…" I mumble to Yukio, face buried in my hands. "Did you _really_ have to complicate things even more?"

Turns out Yukio, upon parting ways with me, decided he was just angry and stupid enough to seek justice from the school concerning my 'violent attack' back at the clubroom.

"You assaulted me! What else should I have done?" Yukio replies defensively, crossing his arms.

We were sitting together in the principal's office, waiting for the woman herself to come issue a verdict.

"I don't know Yukio, how about NOT overreacting. I picked you off the ground for a few _seconds_, there's not a single scratch on you, you little bitch." I continue, turning away from the pretty boy.

"Who's a _little bitch_?" a woman's voice calls out behind me, before clearing her loudly.

Turning around, I see the principal, looking quite unimpressed with me. Standing next to her at about half height was Azusa, currently face-palming.

Fuck.

"OH! Hi Miss… um, I've seem to have forgotten your name?" I say, trying to draw attention away with my standard goofy smile.

"Conrad-san…we're in Miss Kimura's office, her name is right on the door." Yukio says, sighing. Even _he_ felt embarrassed for me.

"Thank you, Hamada-san… Is this really the boy you were just preaching for, Nakano-san? The 'polite and well-behaved' one?"

"Y-yep! He's just a little agitated, is all! Trust me; he's normally an exemplary student!" Azusa says awkwardly, obviously lying through her teeth.

"Alright you two… Nakano-san has graciously filled me in on this little confrontation of yours. I trust this won't happen again, Conrad-san?" She says, rubbing her temples with her fingers.

"Of course not!" I say, smiling nervously.

"Good. Get out of my office and return to your studies." The principal finishes, sitting down.

"B-but he!" Yukio says, clearly disappointed at the lack of punishment. "I _demand_ justice be done!"

"C'mon Casanova, let's leave the nice lady alone…" I say, dragging him along.

* * *

Walking down the halls of our school, Azusa was hastily walking towards the gymnasium for the ceremony. I feel a little bad for her; she was risking missing the show in order to save _my_ hide...

"Thanks for the help, Azusa-san." I thank her, walking alongside her and Yukio. The idol was following too closely for my liking.

"Whatever. Just promise me you'll fix things with Tainaka-san. For now, let's just head for the Auditorium, the assembly is starting soon." Azusa says, shaking her head.

"Not so fast, little girl." Yukio says, stopping in place. "Conrad-san and I have unfinished business, you know."

"Little girl?" Azusa remarks, annoyed.

"And that business being…?" I say tiredly, looking back at the arrogant idol.

"The ever important question!" He says, raising a finger knowingly. "Which one of us will win the damsel's heart?"

"Uh... Isn't that _Ritsu's_ decision?" Azusa says, walking between us. As much as I'd like to agree, my current frustration with the idol was betraying any logic I had.

"Then what; do you want us to have to fight it out in front of her? It's too much pressure for her!" Yukio says, waving Azusa away. "I wouldn't want to risk burdening her... the poor girl"

"Pfft. Are you sure you're talking about Ritsu? She's definitely more sound of mind then you, mister drama queen!" I chuckle, shaking my head at this guy's misguided confidence.

"I guess you can't expect much from someone who just met her _two days ago…"_ I mutter, stretching my arms.

"S-shut up! My feelings are just as genuine as yours!" Yukio says, flustered for perhaps the first time in his life. "We'll fight for her love, like gentlemen!"

"Fine." I respond jadedly. It was time to put this prick in his place.

"Conrad, weren't we already going to solve this problem, yknow, with the _guitar battle_ you kept going on about?" Azusa says, clutching the strap of her guitar case, slung over back.

"Forget it; this is too personal now!" I shake my head.

"You mean to tell me that you we're planning on having a little girl fight in your place?" Yukio laughs, clutching his stomach.

"Whatever, asshole. Let's get this over with" I say, cracking my knuckles. "Just tell me when and where."

"I-I don't mean a _fistfight_ you brainless oaf!" Yukio says, backing off. "It's a battle of love!"

"A… love battle?" Azusa says, sighing heavily. "I give up..."

"Yeah, what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I add.

Yukio shakes his head, before taking a moment to gather his thoughts. Or I assume, given that he was scratching his chin.

"...Simply put, we both have the entirety of tomorrow to woo Ritsu-chan the best we can. Then at the bell's dismissal, whoever she walks home with, shall be the victor!" He smirks, extending his hand. "Deal?"

"Okay… Simple enough, I guess" I say skeptically, squeezing his hand hard. "Deal. Loser leaves the Keion, and gives up on Ritsu for good!"

"Of course! We can use whatever means necessary, no holds barred! We have all night to plan, so don't disappoint me, Conrad!" Yukio laughs, now walking into the auditorium alone.

What an arrogant sunnova… ah, forget it.

"Welp, thanks again Azusa-san; I should be able to handle things from here... I know Ritsu-chan way better than that asshole Yukio! I'm sure I can come up with something to make her heart pound!" I boast proudly, already brainstorming.

Azusa sighs for the millionth time today. She doesn't understand the heart of a man, I suppose.

"Why can't you guys just give Tainaka-san a break? She'll decide who she dates on her own!" Azusa replies, annoyed. "The plan was for me to replace Yukio-san in the band, and damage his ego! Why are you getting her involved like this, _let alone_ without her permission?"

"Azusa, I'm not forcing anything onto Ritsu! Yukio is just trying to confuse her with his fame and looks. The only person who can protect her from that jackass is me!" I say, defensively.

"She's not a trophy for you to win, Conrad!" Azusa yells, as I begin into the darkly lit theater. "If you wont stand up for her, I will!"

And with that, the petite schoolgirl runs off, confusing me greatly. Where the heck was she going? What about the Keion's performance?

Oh well...

* * *

One I was in the auditorium, I took a seat at the front row and whipped out my camcorder. At least I still had my responsibilities. At this juncture, I was at least more valuable to the club than a certain pretty-boy. The moment he finds himself on stage, however, I'm not sure.

"That won't be a problem if I win the competition, though…" I mumble to myself, adjusting the settings of the device.

"And if I don't…" I vocally remind myself, searching for an answer. "I'm fucked… I guess."

In retrospect, I probably should have thought my decision through a little more. How is a dork like me going to romance someone?

I look around again for Azusa, but she was nowhere to be seen. She did seem kind of agitated, but for god knows why. She could hate me now for all I know; women are complicated creatures, after all.

Once the Keion girls came on stage, I was simply blown away. Even with last years performance, which solidified me as a believer, I had no clue that they still had this much room for improvement. A lot was was the same, but in the finer details of the music, you could really see that these girls had talent.

I only hope Azusa saw this, then she'd definitely be up for stealing Yukio's spot!

Before I knew it, however, the performance was over, and I found myself another step closer to the competition deadline.

A deadline I found myself, unfortunately, completely unprepared for…

* * *

_Late at night at the Ferguson household…._

"Oh jeez… what am I going to do? Serenade her? I can't sing! Poetry? damn my feeble Japanese! D-dance… now that's just stupid!" I shout nervously, pacing around my room.

Images of Ritsu flash through my mind. Smiling… laughing… posing….

"Oh god she's so fucking pretty! She's way out of my league! What chance do I have?" I yell, going into a panic attack.

I was so caught up in my mental breakdown, I didn't even notice that Akane was watching me intently from outside the room.

"Conrad… why are you still up?" My stepmom yawns, walking tiredly into my room. "Who's this pretty girl?"

Should have probably closed the door before yelling…

"N-nothing. I'm just trying to win a girls h-heart, I guess." I say quite bashfully. I never talked to Akane about stuff like this.

"Ahhh, I see. Well, she's a lucky girl to have you chasing after her!" My stepmom says, sitting on my bed, motioning me to sit down as well.

"So... What did my Dad do to get _your_ attention?" I sit down, twiddling my thumbs.

Akane seems to think about my question for a while, before smiling wide.

"I guess... I guess I just liked the look of foreign men!" she laughs, covering her mouth.

I laugh nervously alongside her. Is that really all there is to it?

"But then again… I guess what really got me was his caring personality. It truly seemed like he was willing to do anything for me… even now." She says, with a faint smile on her lips.

Jeez Dad, you really know how to woo a lady, huh...

"I think that's all there is to it, Conrad. It'll seem sometimes like girls ask a lot out of you, sometimes too much. But if you really want this girl to like you Conrad, just make sure that when she truly _needs_ someone, that you're there for her." She finishes, hand on my shoulder.

"That's it?" I say, smiling.

"That… or you can just flaunt money and prestige in her face. That works well too." My step mom says frankly, laughing.

"Right…" I say, chuckling nervously.

Was I really going to be alright? Or, will my efforts towards Ritsu's heart be thwarted again by my damned luck? I guess only time would tell. Meanwhile, I had to get off my ass and flex my romantic muscles!

* * *

_The next day…_

"Heloooo… Conraddd?" I hear a voice call for me, piercing through the wall of sweet slumber that surrounded me.

"Buh… wha?" I say drowsily, raising my head from my desk.

Looking around, I found myself at school. I could barely remember how I got here; I was just _that _tired.

"I always catch you sleeping, Conrad. How much sleep do you even get? It can't be healthy…" Tanaka says, scratching his head.

What can I say; it's hard to catch adequate Z's when you got _girl on the brain_.

"What do you want, Tanaka?" I groan, not very pleased with my abrupt awakening.

"Well, there's this cute underclassmen here to see you…" Tanaka shrugs, pointing to the class door.

Naturally, at the mention of the opposite sex, my head shoots up to the door, to see who this girl might be.

I was somewhat disappointed when my eyes met with an impatient Azusa, obviously waiting for me.

Dragging myself over to the door, I let out an audible yawn as I approach my short friend.

"What is it, *yawn*… Azusa-san?" I say lazily, trying to focus.

"You look awful! **This** is the best you can offer Tainaka-san?" she scoffs, looking me over.

"N-no worries! I planned... something good-ish. I'm still ironing out the details…" I say, trying to appear prepared.

"Well it doesn't matter, anyways. Tainaka-san is terribly sick today…" Azusa says, raising her hands in apparent disbelief. "It seems Yukio-san already beat you to the punch; he's comforting her at her bedside."

"Goddamnit... are you serious?" I ask her, shaking my head heavily. She nods her head back frantically.

Although I wanted to be angry at this revelation, I couldn't help but feel as if I had hit a brick wall. Looking at my own sleep deprived body and lack of romantic creativity, It was becoming increasingly clear that I didn't have what it takes to take care of Ritsu, let alone myself… maybe it was time to raise the white flag.

_Make sure that when she truly needs someone, that you're there for her._

Suddenly I feel a surge of motivation flow through my veins.

Wait, no! FUCK THAT. I didn't come all this way to get suddenly beat out by some asshole pretty boy! I'M NOT GOING DOWN LIKE THAT.

"You know what? I'm gonna go straight to her house, take care of her, and get rid of that stupid idol, with nothing more than my amazing charm and pure, unadulterated, **compassion**!" I say, eyes burning with pride.

"W-what?" Azusa asks, looking confused as hell at my sudden confidence.

It was time to fuck shit up.

Nearly running out of the class and into the halls, I set out to assemble the greatest gift basket known to mankind. The only thing I hear as I move down the halls is the quieting voice of Azusa behind me.

"W-wait! Come back, Conrad!" Her voice barely reaches me.

Nope. Not this time. This time, I was going to do something _right _for a change._  
_

* * *

_Later stil…_

Walking out of the convenience store, I can't help but gawk at the amazing bunch of items I've assembled for Ritsu.

"Alright, we've got a get-well card, a comedy movie for her to watch, some oranges, fresh soup, herbal tea and a big ol' teddy bear! Let's do this!" I say happily, struggling to hold all the items in my arms.

Wait. How the hell am I getting to Ritsu's house? I left my bag at school, and the last of my money was spent on all this stuff! If I can't take the subway or bus… how the fuck am I supposed to get there in time, while carrying all this shit?

"Fuuuuuck!" I yell, as I start my gruesome walk towards her house. I struggle, trying not to drop anything on the ground, still damp from this morning's rain.

"This isn't so… bad!" I try to convince myself, barely a hundred steps away from my original position.

However, despite my concentration, I still saw out of the corner of my eye, a recipe for disaster.

Next to me laid a HUGE puddle, formed on the side of the road. And of course, there had to be a goddamn car, going unusually fast AND hugging the curb like an asshole. It was clear there was a... big splash in my future.

"Why does this shit always happen to meeee?" I shout, trying my damnedest to swerve as far away from the puddle as possible.

Despite my best efforts, however, the sheer momentum of my swing combined with the weight of the gifts sent the teddy bear flying out of my arms, followed shortly by the soup.

The soup, despite having a cover, still manages to open completely, as it pours itself all over the teddy bear, already wet from the ground.

"Fuck!" I yell, before water from the puddle splashes me in the back, soaking my uniform as well as the get well card, in dirty street water. The cold water shocks me so much, that I drop all the remaining gifts.

"Grrrr…." I growl, pissed off.

Picking up the ruined 'gift basket', I continue my march. I'll be damned if this shit doesn't eventually find itself in Ritsu's hands! I'd sooner jump in front of a train then give up now.

"Ritsuuuuuuuuuu!" I yell, sprinting up the now upward sloped road.

I'm coming for you, Ritsu! Don't you worry your sick little head!

* * *

_~Tainaka Residence~_

"I'm sorry, Conrad-san, but I don't know what to tell you; Ritsu was perfectly fine this morning! I've heard nothing of her being 'terribly sick' " Ritsu's mother says, looking at me confused.

What.

But if she's not here then...

"Come_ back, Conrad!_" Azusa's faint voice echoes through my brain.

Oh... FUCK.

Why do I never listen?

"Do you know how she's doing?" Her mom says, clearly worried for her daughter.

"No, I guess it was just something minor." I say, not entirely sure myself. "She must be at the nurse's office…"

"Oh... well that's worrisome. I'm sure she'll appreciate the gesture, at least." she replies, grabbing the wet gifts, most likely feinting graciousness. "I'll go pick her up, the poor girl!"

"Right… well, say hi for me when you see her, I guess." I say, shrugging. I'm in no mood to return to school; I need fresh clothes and a blanket...

Could this day get any worse?

"By the way, make sure you wash the teddy bear, it reeks of soup… " I add, pointing at the shoddy looking plushie.

Ritsu's mother stares at me strangely.

"...Don't ask" I answer her silence, shaking my head.

"A-alright, dear. Make sure you get some rest; you look sick yourself!"

"Will do, Miss Tainaka" I reply, before walking away.

So much for doing something right...

* * *

Hours after my utter failure, I was sitting in my room, staring at my ceiling. Between a shower and supper, I had barely left this position. I had no motivation to do anything, at least anything other than contemplate and ponder.

Am I just not meant be in a relationship? Was there some sort of divine force intervening at every chance it had, to try and prevent me and Ritsu from getting closer? Or was it me, the stupid and unreliable Gaijin, who kept screwing things up?

I went to all that goddamn effort to impress her and care for her, but I had nothing to show for it. Meanwhile, Yukio was probably laughing his ass off, seeing that I didn't even bother to show up for the conclusion of our contest.

What a fuckin' joke.

The sound of the telephone ringing suddenly echoes throughout my silent house, causing me to jump slightly.

"Who the hell calls at five past midnight?" I groan, getting up.

The phone rings yet again, as I fail to take any action. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to anyone...

Unless… could it be?

Lifiting myself up from the bed, I hover my hand over the phone, my curiosity barely restrained by my inner pessimist.

No; better not get my hopes up. I sit down on my bed again, with full intention to let this midnight caller go to voicemail.

The phone rings yet again.

"Conrad… I know you're still up! Answer the DAMN PHONE" My dad calls sleepily from his room.

"...Oh god let it be her!" I shout, before picking up the receiver.

"H-hello?" I speak nervously to the unknown recipient.

"Is that you, Conrad? Get your _ass to your front door_ and let me in, I'm **FREEZING**!" Ritsu's shivering voice calls from the other end.

If my heart could ever literally jump out of my chest, now would be the time.

"Wait, w-where are you?" I say, running downstairs.

"Like I said, stupid! Your FRONT DOOR." Ritsu shouts, obviously agitated by the weather.

"R-right!" I say, before covering the receiver. "Dumbass!" I yell at myself, smacking my forehead.

Opening the door, I come fact-to-face with perhaps the cutest thing I've ever seen. It was Ritsu, hair down and in her pajamas, standing at MY fucking door. Shivering, the only thing shielding her from the cold was her jacket and shoes.

"Thank god!" Ritsu yells, practically jumping into my house. "Why did it have to be so damn cold tonight?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" I say, befuddled. "N-not that I mind, of course!"

"I was waiting for my parents to fall sleep so I could come here. I'm grounded now, thanks to you!" She says, hanging her coat up.

"What? What did I do wrong?" I say, confused. "And what the hell, you don't look sick at all!"

"That's the point Conrad! **I was never sick.** It was all just a plan to teach you and Yukio a lesson! A plan that relied on you_ coming to the nurse's office_! But apparently you're too thick headed to listen!" Ritsu explains, punching me in the arm.

"Now I'm grounded because my mom came all the way to school only to find me perfectly fine!" she continues, shaking her head. "She thought I was trying to cut class!"

"Wait, hold up! Why are Yukio and I in hot water?" I say to her, leaving for the kitchen.

"Because of your stupid love competition!" She says, following me, sitting at the kitchen table.

"Wait, how the hell do you know about that?" I say, grabbing the tea kettle.

"Oh I'm sorry. Was the competition deciding MY love life supposed to be kept secret from me?" she says sarcastically. "It's a long story, but your_ little friend_ was the one who let me know."

"Little friend?" I ask confusedly, stopping in my place to think. "Oh, you mean Azusa?"

"Yep! I was a bit apprehensive at first, but she's such a little cutie!" Ritsu smiles blissfully. "I'm surprised you two were able to get along; you two are like polar opposites!"

"The polar opposite of cute?" I reply, feeling a bit annoyed. "What're you trying to say, huh?"

Ritsu laughs, before sending me a playful gaze. My heart flutters a bit.

"W-whatever. Just what the hell were you guys planning at the nurse's office, anyway?" I ask, turning on the stove, before sitting across from her.

"That's besides the point, Conrad. I came here to talk to you about… us." She finishes, her cheeks turning a little pink.

Gulp. Looks like we could only joke around for so long...

"First of all, I want you and Yukio-san to stop fighting over me! I don't need to decide who I'm going to love; I'm not even sure I want date anyone in the first place! You two are going to RESPECT THAT, Okay?" She says, laying down the law.

"If you don't, I'll make sure that you two are banned PERMANENTLY. The club can't function with you two fighting constantly!"

I don't respond at first, tapping impatiently on the tabletop.

"I-I'm just trying to protect you! That asshole Yukio is a player through and through, I can just tell! I dont want to see you getting hurt!" I begin, fiddling with a fork.

"I don't need _protection_, Conrad. Besides, the way I see it, Yukio isn't that bad. He's a little too forward, but he's mostly polite, kinda handsome, talented, well-spoken..."

"Ok, ok, I get it! You like him!" I say, annoyed at the description.

"But that's not it! I may like his more… _superficial _qualities, but I barely know the guy! He talks to me for two days, and thinks he can sweep me off my feet just like that? As if! " She scoffs, rolling her eyes.

"You, however…" She continues, glancing at my eyes, before looking at the boiling kettle.

An awkward silence fills the room after that statement. I can't help but lean forward in my seat, helplessly curious.

"Me?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

"You, Conrad... in this past year, have been many things to me. A friend, someone who makes me laugh, somebody who'll listen to me, and… someone to feel special around!" She finishes, blushing even harder then before.

"I'll admit it Conrad, I have f-feelings for you! But, what those feelings mean in the end... I just don't know yet! I need more time to be around you, have fun with you… and for us to learn to… maybe... love… each other." She says, face turning full on red, like a tomato.

"Ritsu… I-" I say, before being cut off by the whistling tea kettle. "O-one sec" I say, leaving for the stove.

"C-conrad, wait!" Ritsu says, getting up. "One more thing, before I go…"

"Y-yes?" I say, too nervous to even turn around.

"My mom told me about what you did, with the gift basket. How you walked all the way to my house, even though you were soaked and tired.. How worried you were about me…" She says, approaching me from behind. "That was really sweet of you…"

"I-I just wanted you to know that I care" I say, turning around.

Upon turning full circle, the only thing I could see was Ritsu's face right up to mine, her mouth slightly open.

"Rits-?" I say, before her lips captured mine. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she presses her body against me, kissing me deeply. I give out a small squeak of surprise, as she pushes me up against the counter.

For what seemed like forever, we stayed there, her soft lips pressed against mine, our mouths wrestling in a clumsy but passionate lip-lock. She could barely reach me, with her being on her tip-toes, but I held her tightly, keeping her stable. Her hands played with my hair, and I could feel my face getting hot. I always expected my first kiss to be clumsy, but things were just happening naturally, almost like a dream.

However, as all good things come to an end, we eventually part our lips. Both of us were probably sporting the most sheepish smiles in human history.

"I guess that's my gift back..." She laughs awkwardly, tugging on the buttons on my shirt.

"I_ don't know_... are sure we're even?" I joke, rubbing the back of my head.

"You dumbass..." Ritsu chuckles. "Don't be mean!"

Saying no more, Ritsu grabbed my hand and led me to the front door. She got her jacket on, and proceeded to crack the door open, all while we do nothing but occasionally glance at each others red faces.. Before she left however, she broke the silence.

"...That was my first, how about you?" she says, smiling, face red.

"Same here. Y-you we're pretty good, Ritsu-san" I say, quite awkwardly.

Laughing, she hits me lightly in the head. "Drop the honorific, you loser… I'll see you tomorrow." She says jokingly, before closing the door, leaving me speechless.

Touching my lips, I suddenly remember the untouched tea, and the still burning stove.

Running back to the kitchen, I could feel myself smile broadly.

Azusa, you have a lot of explaining to do tomorrow, and I have no idea what you were planning, but at this point I don't really care. As far as I'm concerned, you're a fucking SAINT. Your clever little plan, regardless of its intentions, just landed me my very first kiss.

"...Does this mean I win the love battle?" I wonder aloud guiltily, drinking what was perhaps the sweetest tea I have ever tasted.

And it had nothing to do with the sugar.

* * *

_HOLY SHIT! That was fucking looooong! I'm really sorry if this chapter seemed too long, but I couldn't stop writing! Hopefully you like how I ended this little arc, despite its lack of guitarbattle-ing._

_Two questions id like you to answer in your review:_

_1. Was this chapter too long? Give me an idea of what length you enjoy._

_2. Would you like Azusa to tell her side of the story from __**her perspective**__ next chapter? I can guarantee a little bit MioxAzusa, if that what you want :P._

_See you guys later, and hoped you enjoyed!_


	9. Boys Night Out

_**Jcebreakr: **Thanks! I'll try my best to keep the chapters reasonably long. Thanks for reading!_

_**RitsuxPianoxObsession: **Loving the enthusiasm, haha! Thanks for the support, and Marcus? You must mean Conrad! That made me lol. Thanks again for the compliments!_

_**EXBlOOD:** Thank you! And for the record, MioxAzusa will never be a big thing in the story, if it ever shows up… _

_**RetroHigh: **Wow, I really appreciate the compliments, and I'm happy that I helped you get started on your own fic, which by the way, I checked out… I'm keeping an eye on it!_

_**Trekki859:** Thanks for all the reviews. And trust me, I may be a little slow, but this story won't die. I'm definitely going to finish it!_

_Wow, that was a lot of reviews! Thanks everybody. Anyways, just orient everyone… I'm sorry for taking so so so so very long, but exams, university and work have been eating up most of my time… however it's now summer so I figured I'd finally sit down and get a chapter out for you guys, I don't know if anyone's still reading, but nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

It was another sunny day at Sakuragaoka high, and boy was I feeling good. Barely a day had passed since my 'encounter' with Ritsu, and I was still carrying the same shit-faced grin I had the moment her lips parted mine.

It was first period, and I could already tell people we're put off by my behavior today. Being a guy who usually keeps to himself, my unusual pep today earned me a few stares and comments. Hell, even I wanted me to wipe this stupid smirk off my face, but I couldn't help it; I was finally making some progress with Ritsu, after a grueling year in the so-called 'friendzone', and it felt damn good.

Maybe I should take her on a date, or buy her a gift. Would that be moving too fast?

I was so self-absorbed in my stupid fantasies, that I didn't notice the bell ring, and two familiar shadows hanging over my desk.

"Hey Yankee-san, what's up with the face?" A familiarly nasally voice calls out to me.

"Yeah, it's kind of disgusting" An equally annoying one adds.

Looking up, my eyes meet with Tanaka and Yukio.

Let me tell you, I want nothing more right now than to talk shit to Yukio, but... revealing last nights happenings to Yukio would only add fuel to the fire. So, I decide to let it slide for now. I'll just savor victory in silence.

"It's nothing, why are you guys…" I slowly traill off, finally taking a good look at Yukio.

His face was covered in a large rash, which complimented his blushing face even more. You could tell he was just _waiting_ for me to notice.

"MY FACE? BWHAHAHA! WHATS WITH **YOURS**?" I exclaim pointing at the young idols face.

"S-shut up!" He replies, trying hopelessly to cover the fiery sore with his hands.

"How the hell did that even happen?" I ask, my face contorting, struggling not to laugh.

"If you _must_ know, this is simply a battle scar from our battle of love!" Yukio says, crossing his arms.

"And let me guess.." I stop for a second, letting a few chuckles escape my lips. "Your plan didn't work out so well."

"There was no plan! I ran all the way to the nurse's office yesterday, only for Azusa-san to tell me that I needed to get a special flower from the nearby forest, to save Ritsu-chan from a vicious infection!" He continues, rubbing his irritated visage. "Turns out the forest was filled with some… not-so friendly vegetation."

I burst out laughing again.

THAT was the big plan the girls had devised? A 'special flower'? 'Vicious infection'? There's no way I would've fallen for that! I might be looking into this too much, but something tells me that a certain airhead guitarist had something to do with this.

"And you actually believed her? How could you believe something so stupid? A FLOWER? What are you, twelve?" I scoff, staring at the blood-red rash.

"I thought her life was in danger; I had no time to think!" He shouts defensively. "At least I even bothered to _show up_ yesterday!"

I have to bite my tongue again.

Fair enough. Though a bit naive, I had to give it to him; he was dedicated. Not that I would ever give him the pleasure of telling him that, though.

After having some more fun with Yukio's unfortunate situation, he straightens his uniform, and with a loud clearing of his throat, he cuts through my banter with Tanaka like a knife through butter.

"So, Conrad. I was hoping we could… take a break from all this rivalry… stuff." He says uncomfortably.

"What's gotten into you?" I ask, taking aback by his politeness.

"Well CLEARLY this competition is going to breed nothing but **disaster** for the both of us…" Yukio explains, pointing at his rash.

"Disaster, riiiight." I say slyly, images of Ritsu kissing me still vivid in my mind.

"What?"

"Don't worry 'bout it" I say, chuckling.

"Anyway, Conrad… Ritsu-chan seemed pretty upset with me, so it's probably best if we learn to compete in a more… civilized manner." He finishes, avoiding eye contact, before extending an open hand.

For once in our relationship, I could sense a bit of respect and recognition in his voice. With a bit of hesitation, I accept his handshake.

"Now, let's head to the clubroom… f-friend." He forces out.

"That's a little much, Yukio. Let's just work on not killing each other for now." I laugh, walking away.

"I agree." He sighs, following.

"Hey Yukio-kun! Could _we_ be friends too? I was thinking maybe you could introduce me to some of those girls that always float behind you…" Tanaka says happily, walking in tow.

"Jeez…" The exasperated musician shakes his head

* * *

After parting ways with Tanaka, Yukio and I started to make our way to the Keion's clubroom. The task proved difficult, as seemingly every girl in Sakuragaoka felt the need to fuss over Yukio's rash.

As Yukio waves off the last of his fangirls, I cough loudly to keep him focused.

"Good _god_, Yukio. You're really taking your time, letting those girls baby you like that… can we please just get to the clubroom, already?" I complain, pointing up the nearby stairs.

"Is that jealousy I hear?" He remarks, snide as ever. "Besides, it's not like you had to wait for me."

"Fair enough, but…" I reply, giving him a 'friendly' shove towards the stairs. "You WERE the one who suggested we work things out, right?"

As we reach the top of the staircase, we catch the tail end of an amazing guitar solo. The acoustics in the clubroom aren't the best, but the skill and emotion being put into the guitar playing left both me and Yukio speechless, even after it finished.

"Who the hell was that? That was way too good for Yui-san's level…" I think aloud, gripping the door handle. "That must've been Azusa-san."

"**That** was Azusa-chan playing?" Yukio replies, sounding genuinely impressed for once in his life.

"Of course! I bet you're glad that guitar battle never happened, eh?" I laugh, opening the clubroom door.

The idol said nothing, but I could tell even he was putt off by the young girls skill.

As Yukio and I enter the clubroom, we see the Keion members huddling around Azusa's familiar figure. The guitar in the small girl's hands assured me on who the culprit of that amazing solo was.

"That was amazing, Azusa-chan!" Yukio resounds, walking over to her, clapping loudly.

"Thanks?" She replies warily, confused by his good mood. "Is your rash doing okay?"

"Does it look okay, to you?" I butt in, taking another glance at the whopper on Yukio's face.

"Lay off it, Conrad-san." Azusa warns me, returning the guitar to Yui's hands. "Sorry again, Yukio-san. I never thought that the silly flower-hunt I sent you on would end up like that…"

"Yeah..." Mio begins, looking quite guilty herself. "Why did we choose that crazy plan, again?"

Yui pouts, cheeks puffing out cutely. "It was a cool idea, though~!"

"It was _creative._.. I'll give you that." Yukio replies, rubbing the rash slightly. He looked exasperated, but as usual, he failed to lose his composure around the girls.

"A-anyway, It's fine! It simply goes to show to what lengths I will go for somebody I care for." Yukio drawls on. "Unlike somebody…" He finishes, looking at me.

I go to argue, but I have to stop myself. Ritsu wanted us to stop bickering, after all.

"So, Azusa. I take it that since you're here, you're going to join the Keion?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Yep! After seeing them perform at the ceremony, I was convinced!" She grins, as Yui wraps her arms around Azusa's petit figure. "Now, they want to throw me a party and everything!"

"Yeah! A big party at my house for Azunyan!" Yui coos cutely.

"Sounds great!" I remark, interested. I'm not usually into parties, but with all these pretty girls there, I can't help it.

"But, hold on." I continue, remembering her visit last night. "I though you were _grounded_, Ritsu."

"Don't get me started. I had to do a lot groveling to get permission." The girl in question sighs, waving her hand dismissively.

I cringe, knowing all too well it was mostly my fault she got in trouble with her parents.

"So, when's this party starting?" I ask, returning to a grin. "I could bring some beer!"

"What kind of party are _you _thinking of?" Ritsu asks me, raising a brow. "We're all underage!"

"So?" I ask, looking around the room. "Didn't Yui and Mugi get drunk last year, at karaoke?"

"W-what?" Yukio asks, turning his shcoked eyes to the girls in mention.

The pair dons innocent smiles, both blushing slightly.

"Oh my~, did we?" Mugi wonders, smiling at Yui.

"I dunno; I don't really remember much from that night!" Yui states, looking a bit confused.

"...What kind of club did I just join?" Azusa wonders, looking to be at her wit's end.

"One with an American in it." Yukio shakes his head. "I'm sure that was just _his_ bad habits rubbing off on them."

"Goddamnit, Yukio. You _know _I'm not American; get it right!" I growl at him, though knowing all to well this was the annoyed reaction he was hoping for.

"Anyway..." Ritsu announces, butting in between me and Yukio."This is a girls-only event, so you two will have to stay home!"

My heart sinks a little bit.

"Fair enough, I guess" I reply, sitting down at the tea table. Besides Ritsu, none of the other girls had really warmed up to me. Not to mention that me and Yukio tended to cause plenty of trouble when we were together. The girls probably wanted a breather from our bullshit.

"Speaking of which, Yukio…" Mio begins, turning towards the pretty-boy. "We decided that with Azusa here, that we'd keep our band an all-girls thing. I hope that's okay."

I crack a smile. At least now me and Yukio are on even ground.

"That's too bad, I would've loved to play with you ladies." He replies grinning, not losing a single inch of composure. Somebody in show business like him is probably used to his fair share of bad news.

"We're all growing musicians, so we don't want to get stuck in the shadow of your fame. I hope you understand." Mio continues apologetically.

"Yeah! I mean, you could always work with Conrad." Ritsu adds, smiling playfully at me. "S'not like he's going to be at the Budokan anytime soon."

"Har har..." I reply sarcastically, though I find myself smiling as well.

"Heh. Maybe once Conrad practice's a bit more… or a lot." He smirks, sending a pitying gaze my way.

"Yeah well, I'd sooner _set myself on fire_ then work with you." I add before turning my attention to some delicious cake.

An awkward silence filled the room following our hostile exchange, but it was soon filled with excited planning for tonight's party.

As curious as I am about this 'girl-party' stuff, I turn my attention to the delicious cake in front of me. I won't let my lack of invitation ruin good my mood today.

* * *

_Later that evening - Conrad's House_

Having exhausted about every entertainment option in my room, I lean back lazily in my chair.

"What to do, what to do…" I wonder out loud, though with no intention of being heard.

I glance guiltily over to the pile of homework on my desk; a pile that has been steadily growing over these past few weeks.

"Fuck that..."

I look at my clock at the wall; it was barely eight in the evening. The Keion girls must be partying it up right now…

My brain can't help but to conjure up images of pillow fights and 'girl talk'. Being such a dork, I've never had much knowledge of the female mind. The concept of this girls-only party is alien to me, but damningly interesting.

After puttering hopelessly around my room yet again, I finally decide to bite the bullet and pay a visit to Yui's house.

"I'll just drop in with a 'Welcome to the club, Azusa-san!' present or something. Y'know... see what they're up to..." I explain hopelessly to myself, trying to pretend that I am not in fact, trying to bribe my way into a girl-only party.

The fact that I continue to talk to myself only convinces me further; I fear for my sanity If this boredom continues.

As I head out the door, my mind keeps itself busy by thinking what offering I should purchase to appease the girls.

* * *

"Shit…" I mutter, hand hovering over Yui's door.

Now that I had finally arrived, I couldn't bring myself to knock, as the creepiness of what I'm doing finally starts to set in.

Showing up uninvited to a girl-only party with a fucking cake? What the hell was I thinking?

"...Maybe it's best I head home." I say, turning around, only to bump into somebody.

Regaining my composure, I see that the person in front of me is no other than Yukio Hamada.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask, bewildered at the idol's presence.

"I should ask you the same, Gaijin." Yukio replies coolly. "I'm here to drop off my club application"

"Dropping it off during the party, eh? That's awfully convenient…" I remark knowingly.

"Oh? And just what noble purpose brought _you_ here, gaijin?" He jabs back, not missing a beat.

"Oh, I-I'm just here to give Azusa-san a welcoming present!" I explain, stuttering slightly. "That's all..."

A silence fills the air as we both look at each other awkwardly. It's all too obvious that I'm not the only guy looking to crash this girl-fest.

"…Look. I think we both know why we're really here. Let's just knock on the door and try to get in." I continue, finally.

"Agreed." He replies, quickly, clearly on the same wavelength as me.

I approach the Hirasawa residence again. At least having Yukio here will relieve me of my nervousness.

We knock simultaneously, and yet another awkward silence hits us as we wait for somebody to come to the door.

"Really? A cake?" Yukio asks me, glancing at the fancy pastry in my arm.

"You laugh now..." I reply, shaking my head. "But this might just be our key inside, so to speak."

Yukio doesn't reply, as we could finally hear some life coming from the house. I straighten my clothing and smile, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.

"Hello?" A familiar voice calls out to us, as the door cracks open.

Yui's innocent visage emerges, looking at us strangely. However, as soon as she sees the cake in my hands, her face brightens up.

"Wow! Is that for us?" Yui shouts excitedly, swining the door open wide. It seems the tasty treat took her mind off of our intrusion.

It's all going to plan...

"Yes! We thought we'd buy it to welcome Azusa properly to the club!" Yukio replies, smiling.

Oh, so _now_ he likes the cake idea. Damn bastard, trying to take half the credit for my purchase. I let it slide however, as Yui motions us to come inside.

As we take off our shoes at the entrance, Ritsu shows up at the door, probably wondering where Yui went. When she locks eyes with me, her brows furrow considerably.

"Hey! What the hell are you two doing here? We told you, this party was supposed to be a girls night!" She asks, hands on her hips.

"U-uh Well… I just thought I'd bring a welcome present for Azusa!" I announce awkwardly, extending the cake towards her.

"Thank you, thank you!~" Yui chants happily, grabbing the cake from my hands and heading to what I assume is the kitchen.

Mio, Tsumugi, Nodoka, Ui and Jun soon show up at the entrance as well, all obviously confused by our arrival. The piercing stares of all these girls was making me sweat bullets, but Yukio didn't seem affected at all. Sometimes I forget just how used he is to female attention.

"Yes, and I'm here with my completed club application!" Yukio adds, voice full of confidence as always.

"Oh, thanks. I guess…" Ritsu says, taking Yukio's neatly written application in hand. "Why didn't you just give it to me at school?"

"It simply slipped my mind; my apologies." Yukio replies, taking off his coat. I mirror him, and make myself at home.

Are we in?

"Slow down, boys…" Ritsu interrupts, showing the designer coat back into Yukio's arms. "Thanks for the cake and all, but this doesn't change a thing!"

...Didn't think so.

"We girls don't always get to hang out properly, with you two always tagging along." Mio interjects, averting her gaze.

"Sorry..." Azusa says, peeking from the back of the group, barely visible.

"You guys make it sound like we're pests or something!" I reply, exasperated.

"Rules are rules!" Ritsu says, wagging her finger.

"And the rule tonight is** no pests**!" Tsumugi announces, laughing, as she pushes us out the door.

Upon the door slamming in front of us, all we could hear was muffled laughs coming from inside.

I knock frantically at the door.

"My shoes! My shoes are still inside!" I yell, still pounding on the door.

The door swings open nearly hitting me, and before I can speak, my two smelly shoes collide with my face.

"Have a_ nice night_, guys!" Ritsu shouts, before slamming the door.

As I put my shoes on, the frantic giggling inside grew even louder. I turn to Yukio, and we both shrug in unison, not saying a word.

Out of options, Yukio and I walk away, our plan utterly defeated by female resolve.

* * *

_Later that night_

"What the hell are we doing at Tanaka's house?" Yukio asks me while texting from his cellphone.

"I don't know, Yukio. Why **are** you here? I didn't ask you to follow me…" I reply, ringing the doorbell for the third time.

"Where the hell is he?" I wonder, scratching my head.

"Aren't you going to wake his parents?" Yukio asks me, pulling me away from the door.

"No, I'm not, **dipshit**." I reply shoving his hand off me. "You think a whole family could live in a cramped place like this? Dumbass..."

Yukio looks miffed at my aggressiveness. Needless to say, his presence had been getting on my nerves. Then again, Its not like I'm not doing myself any favours by getting on Yukio's bad side even more...

"Tanaka lives alone. His parent's live in some hick town up north." I add, lowering my voice (and robbing it of it's usual profanity).

"Hick town?" Tanaka's unique voice calls out, alerting us of his presence as he approaches us from behind. "That's rude, Yankee-san!"

"Tanaka! Nice to see you, bro!" I shout, rallying all my enthusiasm. "Where were you?"

"The convenience store…" He replies, showing me a bag full of snacks. "What's gotten into you?"

"Oh, it's nothing..." I reply, innocently. "Just having some girl trouble… I thought maybe we could hang out or something…" I say nudging him rhythmically in the side, all whilst winking awkwardly.

"Ohoho! Say no more, friend!" Tanaka chuckles, before disappearing into his apartment.

Yukio sighs, and puts away his cellphone. I could tell he was trying to look annoyed, but the guy had followed me from Yui's house like a lost puppy; It was clear he had nothing better to do than hang out with us.

Now thta I think about it, why is that? I figure Yukio, being a celebrity, would have tons of friends...

The loud rustles and crashes coming from inside the complex finally pull Yukio's eyes away from his phone.

"What the hell is he doing in there?" Yukio asks, trying to peek in through the crack in the door.

"You'll see" I say, grinning wide.

Soon enough, Tanaka emerges triumphantly from his shoddy apartment. He had a bottle of tequila in hand, and a cigarette hanging out his mouth.

"Where the hell did you get those? You're underage!" Yukio asks, face ripe with disgust.

"The landlord here is pretty lax. I buy stuff off him all the time!" Tanaka laughs, handing me a cigarette.

"Can't really walk around with that, can we?" I chuckle, pointing at the booze.

"Of course… I'll go put this into a less obvious container, and then we can go!" Tanaka continues, once again slipping back into his apartment.

"Go where?" Yukio asks, still bewildered at our actions.

"On a manly adventure, of course!" I laugh, lighting the cigarette.

Yukio stares at me in disbelief.

"You Americans are so uncivilized…" He remarks, turning away.

I want to correct the nationality remark, but I move along in hopes of convincing the idol. This could be a good chance to get on decent terms with him. I take a long drag of the cigarette, and blow the smoke into the night sky.

"C'mon, Yukio! It'll grow some hair on your chest. Me and my friends did this all the time back home!" I smile, as Tanaka locks the door on his apartment.

"Yeah, it's fun! Come hang out with us, Yukio-kun!" Tanaka says, handing him the clear plastic bottle.

"Tanaka, I thought a top student like yourself would be smart enough to not get mixed up with Conrad's shenanigans" Yukio shakes his head.

Tanaka flexes his muscles jokingly.

"It's just some good, **MANLY,** fun!"

"Yeah, just take a swig!" I add, pointing at the tequila.

Yukio stares at the bottle, and then back at us.

"I've never done something like this before." He mumbles, shaking the bottle slightly

"Relax for once! Celebrities do it all the time!" I chuckle, taking the lead and stealing a swig from the bottle.

"…Fine." He finishes, snatching the booze back, and taking his own sizeable sip.

Our cheers echoed throughout the apartment complex, and we started to make our way towards the school.

* * *

_~Sakuragaoka High~_

"Can't this sort of thing get us expelled?" Yukio asks warily, being the last to climb the school fence.

"Don't worry about it, man." I reassure him, wobbling slightly from my drunkenness. "We can always run if we have to…"

"Heh, you sure you can run in your state?" He asks, finally making it over the barrier.

"I'm fine! I aint' no lightweight." I chuckle, hiccuping in the process.

"So why, exactly, are we here?" Yukio asks, looking around the dimly lit schoolyard.

"I dunno... Let's go to that big tree!" I shrug, too drunk to really care at this point.

"The tree... but why?" Yukio probes yet again.

"To climb it, of course!" I reply, walking over to the edge of the yard. "It's a manly adventure, after all."

"Grrreat..." Yukio slurs out, following me.

As we made our way to what was the largest tree in the school's field, Tanaka finished off what was left of the tequila.

"Fuggin women… they're all whores, I tell ya!" Tanaka yells bitterly, his words slurring horribly.

"Uh, Is he going to be okay?" Yukio asks, sitting down at the tree's base.

"Of course… probably." I return uneasily.

I start climbing the tree, and make my way to a sizeable branch.

As I settle myself on the tree's limb, I see Yukio giving Tanaka a boost up to one of the lower branches.

"What about you, Yukio?" I ask as I balance myself carefully "How are you feeling?"

"Well besides the rash…" He begins, before stopping to laugh a bit. "This IS certainly more fun that I'd imagined. Thanks for inviting me... I guess."

Well, that's a surprise. I figured someone like Yukio would want nothing to do with this sort of stuff; not that his now-agreeable self was a bad thing.

"Well you're welcome to come along." I reply, smiling "...Most of the time."

As we sit there in silence (save for Tanaka's occasional drunken rant), enjoying the nice weather, I start to think. It's probably the liquor talking, but a lot of the tension between me and Yukio had dissolved the past few hours. There's a nagging feeling in my chest, so I try to let it out.

"You know Yukio, if you actually want to do some performances with the Keion… I think I could handle backing you up." I announce, looking down at him.

"Well, you **do** need a lot of practice…" he starts, before looking up at my pissed face. "But, I'm sure we can work something out."

Despite his little jab, I'm satisfied with his response. At least this way we'll have something to do other than argue all day.

Suddenly my phone rings, nearly giving me a heart attack. I grab onto the trunk of the tree, almost falling off from the surprise.

Bringing the phone up to my ear, I hope to god it's not Dad or my stepmom.

"H-hello?" I ask nervously into the receiver, trying to sound as sober as possible.

"Conrad? It's Ritsu." Her heavenly voice calls out, relieving me of most of my anxiety. "Are you with Yukio still?"

"Uh, sorta…" I reply, looking at the drunken idol, who was now singing one of his songs alongside Tanaka's cringe worthy voice.

"What do you mean by that?" She asks me, confused. "We feel a bit bad for kicking you guys out. You guys should head over here before the party ends!"

"Uh… We can't. We're… a _little_ tied up right now..." I answer simply, trying not to divulge any unnecessary info. The last thing I wanted to do was show up at Yui's house drunk as a skunk. That would sure leave a good impression...

"What? Where _are_ you two?" Her voice nags me yet again. A headache starts to form in my head.

"We're at… zuh school?" I answer honestly, looking around. "Tanaka's here too. *hic*"

"What the heck are you guys doing there at _this_ hour? It's locked!" Ritsu asks, sounding a bit surprised.

"Dunworry about it, Ritsu..." I reply simply, rubbing my temples.

"Hey... why are you slurring so much?" She replies. "...Are you drunk, Conrad?"

Ah... goddammit. I'm heavily considering hanging up this phone, right about now.

"HEY!" Yukio calls over to me from his own branch.

"Are yu talkin' to Ritsu?!" Tanaka shouts, as he starts climbing the tree towards me. "Don't talk to that WOMAN SCUM!"

"Dude, watch da fuck out!" I yell, as Tanaka barely keeps his balance, moving from branch to branch. "You're gonna fall, dumbass!"

"What the hell is going on?" Ritsu asks, worriedly "You know what? I'm heading over there; stay where you are!"

A loud click interrupts my attempt to explain Tanaka's outburst. The monotone beeping that followed let me know the horrible truth, she was on her way.

Before I can even relay anything to Yukio, Tanaka has already made his way to where I was, and started trying to grab the phone from my hands.

As if giving up on the phone, Tanaka opts instead to glomp me drunkenly. As if my precarious (and drunken) hold on the tree wasn't already bad enough, I now lost all concept of balance.

"Sunnova bitch!" I yell, as we topple off of the tree.

* * *

Groaning, my eyes open slowly, meeting with Mio's worried expression.

"He's awake!" She shouts to her left side.

"What the fuck happened?" I ask in plain English, pulling myself off the ground.

"Wh-what?" Mio replies surprised at my foreign tongue.

I try to stand, but my dizziness causes me to fall back onto my ass. I see a bunch of blurry forms heading my way, so I give my head a shake, trying to focus.

It's the girls from the party...

"Conrad, are you okay?" Ritsu yells, dropping to her knees. "What the hell were you thinking?"

I begin to reply, but I'm cut off as she hugs me tightly. All of a sudden, my worries start to melt away, as I sigh heavily into Ritsu's shoulder. The smell of her hair was therapeutic almost...

Wait a sec.

"W-wait! Where's Yukio? Where the hell is _Tanak_a?" I ask, looking around frantically. I was starting to remember what had happened... the tree, falling... and while _I'm_ not feeling particularly swell, I can't imagine Tanaka is either.

"Calm down Conrad." Yukio replies, his exasperated voice calls from behind me.

Turning around, I see a passed-out Tanaka was on his back.

"Fuck, is he out cold too?" I ask warily.

"Nah, Tanaka's okay, he just drank a bit too much…" Yukio says, looking a bit uncomfortable carrying him. "He fell on top of you, luckily."

I sigh in relief, as Ritsu helps pick me up from the ground. "Luckily?" She asks, looking unimpressed at him.

"Well, unlucky I suppose. _You_ were out cold ever since you fell from the tree… we were about to get help, but luckily the girls arrived…" He continues, shaking his head.

"We were about to call an ambulance…" Yui says, cellphone in hand, worriedly expression plastering her usually bubbly face.

"Fuck that! If the school finds out what I did, I'd be in deep shit!" I yell.

"Well maybe you should have thought of that before you got drunk and climbed a fuckin' tree!" She yells back, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me violently.

"R-Ritsu, St-Stop that…" I plead quietly, as my stomach and mind churns horribly.

Burp.

In a last attempt not to douse Ritsu in my puke, I do a 180 and spew chunks directly away from her. Unfortunately, I forgot Yukio was there; and with a passed out boy on his back, he had nothing to shield himself from my chunky spew.

"Holy shit!" Ritsu yells, backing (along with everyone else) a mile away from me.

After reorienting myself after my little 'outburst', I turn to Ritsu with a crooked smile.

"What a night, eh?"

Nervous laughter fills the schoolyard, as I try my best to recuperate.

* * *

At the entrance to the school, we all decide we've have quite enough excitement for one night. After giving Yukio some money for dry cleaning, the bulk of the group went west, leaving Mio, Ritsu and myself alone to head the other way.

"You're such a doofus, Conrad. I thought you were smarter than this." Ritsu bemoans, turning her head towards me.

"Like I said, If Tanaka hadn't tackled me, I'd be fine. I climbed trees back home all the time!" I reply, trying to defend my actions.

"Yeah, but you guys had been drinking!" Ritsu replies, shaking her head.

"Uh, like I said... not uncommon." I say, cringing slightly.

Ritsu looks at me wide eyed.

"Drunken tree climbing;_ not uncommon_?"

"...I think you underestimate the stupidity of Canadian dudes." I chuckle. "Once the beer starts flowing there's no telling what dumb shit we'll do."

"But, aren't you too young to be drinking?" Mio asks me, looking a bit disappointing.

"Not in Canada, I'm not..."

The girls looks like they wants to say all sorts of stuff about that. I can almost hear them lamenting: 'You're not _in_ Canada!', but instead, they simply shake their heads and drop the subject.

"Anyway... If we knew you were gonna do something like that, we would've never kicked you guys out!" Mio tells me, before letting out a yawn.

"It was just a little fun…" I laugh, before noticing that Mio had stopped in place.

"This is our bus stop, Ritsu" She says, pointing to her right.

"Don't worry about me, Mio." Ritsu smiles, grabbing my arm. "I'm gonna make sure Conrad doesn't climb any more trees on his way home."

Mio's repressed giggles make the heat rise to my cheeks. As we walk away from the bus stop, I poke Ritsu in the shoulder.

"I'm not some weak princess; I can walk myself home!" I say, annoyed.

Although I expect Ritsu to poke more fun at me, she moves her hand down to my own, gripping it tightly.

"Conrad... I was actually worried about you." She says seriously, completely ignoring my complaint. "Yukio said you were knocked out for quite some time; I thought you were going to die!"

"I'm not made out of glass, Ritsu…" I laugh, squeezing her hand back. "I've had worse things happen to me!"

"Really? Like what?" Ritsu asks, looking at my bruised face.

"Well, once we get back to my place, I'd be happy to show you the scar…" I say, lifting my jacket slightly.

"Dummy!" She shouts, letting go of my hand. "You're still drunk, aren't you!"

"Sorry… a little bit." I laugh, rubbing the back of my head. "If it makes you feel better, I don't have to be drunk to know that I like you... a lot!"

Sure, It's not poetry, but I'll take what I can get; especially when I'm drunk...

She blushes heavily, before moving close to me. Playing with my jacket buttons, she looks up at me with the cutest damn face ever.

"Are you going to be okay?" She asks, touching the bruise on my face slightly.

It was odd for her to be so concerned; a girl who usually used every opportunity to crack jokes. Despite the sincerity of it all, my inner drunk really wants to mess with her.

"Well, you want to kiss it better?" I chuckle, pointing to the affected area.

She laughs, clearly taking it as a joke. Seeing me continue to stare, however, she sheepishly smiles before eventually getting on her tiptoes for a small peck. I tilt my head down deceptively, but at the last second I move down and kiss her on the lips. She stiffens in surprise, but eventually gives in.

We stood there, in the middle of the street, kissing, for what felt like a good minute. When she backs away, she clearly wants to chew me out for my sly maneuver, but I kiss her big forehead and cut her off.

"Hey!" She shouts, covering the mark where my lips just touched.

"Here's one for the road!" I laugh, kissing her forehead yet again.

"Would you stop it!" She laughs, pushing me away.

Standing only a few feet away, she looks at me with an expression I can't quite describe. Messy hair, rosy cheeks, this was a side of Ritsu i didn't see often. I almost wish I had a camera on me.

"You tasted like... cigarettes?" She mentions suddenly, locking eyes with me.

"The cigarettes were Tanaka's idea, I swear!" I reply, laughing nervously. "We thought it made us look cool..."

Ritsu face palms at my idiocy; A fairly regular occurrence. unfortunately.

Ritsu grins, shaking her head.

"You? _Cool_? Is that even possible?"

"Hey!" I reply, trying to keep a serious face, but failing nonetheless.

The following silence leaves us with little to do but awkwardly dart our eyes around. I wish i could tell what she was thinking right now.

"Well…" I grin, before turning away. "See ya on Monday."

"...Bye Conrad." She returns, before turning around herself. "Put some ice on that bruise!"

"Yeah, you'd hate for this beautiful face to be ruined, wouldn't you?" I joke loudly, as the distance between us increases.

"Keep dreaming!" Ritsu scoffs.

The jabs at each other kept going until we become too loud. We wouldn't want to wake up the neighborhood.

* * *

_After a huuuge delay, another chapter of 'TheForehad Girl' is finished!_

_I hope that people will continue to stumble upon my story, and that old readers might revisit. I know I've left this story in the dark, but it won't happen again as long as I can help it._

_Leave a review please, along with any comments or suggestions you have for the story._

_See ya!_


	10. Electric Boogaloo

_Hey Everyone. I decided to follow up on the story right away, while I still have ideas generating in my head. After having a little drunken detour with Conrad and his buddies, I'm happy to say that I'm going to get back on track and set my focus back on the characters that ARENT figments of my imagination :P._

_So, without further delay, I present to you chapter 10 of 'The Forehead Girl'._

* * *

"Alright Yukio, let's try this AGAIN." My stern voice calls out, causing the numerous whispers around me to cut short.

The exhausted idol and all his fans seem to sigh in unison.

"It doesn't matter how many times I sing this song, Conrad." He rebuts, running his hand through his hair. "I'm just not feeling this song…"

Chatter erupts from his harem of fan girls, all obviously annoyed by my presence.

"Yeah, why can't you guys play Yukio's song again?" A first year calls out, causing me to shiver at her annoyingly high-pitched voice.

"Because we JUST DID. Now it's my turn to pick the song!" I shout back, the girl squeaking in surprise at my temper.

It's really not in my nature to get this angry with girls, but their presence in the clubroom alone was pissing me off. Why they felt the need to crash our practice session was beyond me.

I look over to Ritsu for help. She and the other members were drinking their tea as usual, completely ignoring my dilemma, probably hoping not to get caught in this mess.

"Alright, from the top!" I repeat yet again. "One, two, three, four!"

Yukio sighs and complies, but it's clear he's near the end of his rope.

In my continued attempt to get on better terms with Yukio, He and I have been spending some time playing together. After weeks off delaying the inevitable, we finally got together and decided how we'd go about this. I learnt and played his J-pop bullshit song countless times without complaint, but the amount of shit I was getting now that it was my turn was fuckin' ridiculous.

The song was called "Got the Time" by Anthrax. It's one of my favorite songs to play, as the baseline is fast and fun to play. I was mainly curious to see how Yukio would fit in as a more punk/metal vocalist, but he would have nothing of it.

As the song drew on, it became increasingly apparent he gave zero fucks about how he sang. It was monotone, sloppy, and downright insulting. I knew he could do tons better. His guitar playing was on point, though, so it wasn't completely horrible.

"Okay, stop! Stop…" I repeat, turning off the drum track playing in the background.

Yukio sighs yet again, glaring at me.

"What now?"

"Could you at least TRY to sing it properly?" I ask, desperate to find some middle ground here.

"I'm sorry Conrad-san, but frankly, this song sucks." He states, walking away.

"Where are you going? We've barely even got it down!" I ask, following him.

"Conrad. I'm willing to work with you. But you HAVE to find me a song that better fits my vocal style." He answers frankly, shrugging.

"Yeah well, your overproduced song didn't really do much for me either, but you don't see me bitchin'…" I ask, flopping down on the nearby bench.

"I don't think Yukio really works as a metal singer, Conchan…" Yui states with an almost pitying expression.

"Well SO-REE for wanting to play something other than J-Rock in this place." I return, lazily strumming the strings of my cheap Yamaha bass.

As Yukio answers questions from his harem like a goddamn press conference, I place my bass on its stand and walk over to the Keion girls.

"I'm surprised you can play that fast, Conrad-kun!" Mio announces, clearly trying to cheer me up.

"Well, it's one of the few things I CAN do. I got into bass playing from my dad, and he LOVED thrash and speed metal. I guess you can say it's in my blood." I explain, grabbing a pastry from Mugi's fine china set.

"Sorry that we don't really fit your tastes, Conrad…" Ritsu says, patting me on the back.

I shake my head, shoving the pastry into my mouth all at once. Mio looks at like I'm a philistine, while Ritsu rolls her eyes.

"It's not a problem that you guys like different music. " I say, barely able to speak with my mouth full. "...Though it _would_ be nice to have somebody who I could play some heavier stuff with…"

Suddenly the door to the clubroom swings upon, and the room goes deathly silent. Wondering why, I turn around.

"I'm sorry girls, but this is not a good time for you to clog up our clubroom!" Miss Sawako announces as she enters the room, clearing her throat.

Oh... that's why. Sawako was always strict about Yukio's fangirls hanging around; she was the only person capable of keeping this place a safe haven.

With a few complains and "awws" being heard, the last of Yukio's fan-girls leave the room. Yukio nods to Sawako and smiles, as if to thank her.

Sawako walks over to the table and looks happily over the assortment of sweets Mugi had brought. That is, before turning to me.

"Um… Conrad-san, could I speak to you outside for a moment?" Sawako states sweetly, giving my sleeve a slight tug.

For somebody I speak to rarely, it was definitely odd for Sawako to approach me so openly. I must be in trouble…

"Why outside?" Ritsu asks loudly, before snapping her fingers in comprehension. "Are Conrad's grades bad again?"

"That's none of your business, Tainaka-san!" Sawako says sternly, before ushering me outside the room.

* * *

"This IS about my grades, isn't it?" I state right away, raising my hands in defense. "I swear I'll work harder, Sensei!"

Sawako laughs heartily, before giving me a gentle smile.

"Don't worry, Conrad-san. This is actually about the club!"

"The club? Did I miss a meeting, or forget to submit a form?" I ask frantically.

"Why is it, Conrad-san, that you always assume the worst?" Sawako asks, once again letting out a few chuckles. "I simply overheard your plea, as I entered the clubroom."

What plea? Suddenly a light bulb goes off in my brain.

"Oh, the metal thing. What about it?" I ask, wondering what the heck Sawako, of all people, could do to help me.

"Well…" Sawako starts, fidgeting a bit. "Can I trust you with a s-secret?"

My face contorts in confusion. What the hell sort of secret are we talking about here? And to be honest, no, you can't trust me; not worth shit.

"Of course, Sensei." I answer, despite the contrary being screamed inside me.

"I... actually have some experience with playing metal!" She admits, blushing.

Well I'll be damned.

"Really? That's… well frankly, that's really weird." I say simply, being honest. "In a metal band?"

Sawako covers her face in embarrassment.

"…Yes."

"Well… I'm surprised to say the least. You don't seem like the type at all." I laugh, grinning like a madman. "What was the band name?"

"Uh... D-Death Devil." She answers, coughing.

I burst out laughing, unable to imagine a woman as proper as Sawako playing in a band called fuckin' Death Devil!

Obviously embarrassed at a student laughing at her, she clears her throat and returns to serious-mode.

"Anyway, Conrad-san. I want to introduce you to an old band mate. She plays bass and I think you could learn quite a bit from her."

My heart jumps a bit.

"Seriously? That'd be awesome!" I say, honestly quite happy. "What's she like?"

If she was friends with Sawako, then I'd have to imagine someone fairly pleasant as well. Then again...

Sawako looks away, and sighs. "She's a bit... rough around the edges, but shes a great bassist."

Yeah. _That_ sounds a lot more like a metalhead.

"Sounds good" I reply, even though I'm curious what exactly she means by 'rough around the edges'. Oh well.

"Well, I can't guarantee she'd be willing to teach you, but I'll try my best to convince her." Sawako finishes, placing her hand on my back.

Guiding me back to the clubroom, I can't help but snicker.

"Death Devil…" I whisper.

"Conrad-san!" Sawako yells, pushing me through the club doors.

* * *

_After school – Grabbing a bite to eat_

"Announcing… the second annual training camp!" Mugi announces in a very official tone.

Our small group erupts into cheers, mostly from Yui and Ritsu. The patrons of the small café lock their eyes on us, the source off all the noise.

"A training camp… but where?" Azusa asks, leaning forward.

"Well, luckily, a spot has opened up at my family's main villa!" Mugi replies, eyes glossy with excitement.

"You mean to tell me the one last year wasn't even the MAIN one?" I ask, bewildered.

"Well, it IS pretty hot… I wouldn't mind swimming a bit." Yukio says, sipping on some coffee.

Azusa looks pretty unimpressed; pretty much the same look she donned when she found most of our club time was spent drinking tea...

"Just what kind of training camp is this..." Azusa sighs.

"W-we're going there to practice, practice!" Mio repeats defensively, although she's probably just as sure as I am that there won't be much practice being done in the end.

"Hey Yui, want to get swimsuits after this?" Ritsu asks Yui, obviously excited.

"You guys!" Mio shouts, tired of Ritsu's usual funny business.

The two girls start to chat excitedly anyway, completely ignoring Mugi and Mio, who were both trying to iron the details with everyone.

"Is Sawako-sensei coming this time?" I ask, trying to keep things on track myself.

"I don't think so; she never seems interested in these sorts of things." Mio replies, sighing. "And I was hoping she could come this time to maintain some discipline…"

"Don't worry, Mio!" Azusa reassures her downcast friend. "You know how much Conrad, Yukio and I have been practicing recently. Were behind you one hundred percent!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Azusa-chan. Conrad's a sucker when it comes to girls in bikinis; He could barely keep his eyes of Mio last time!" Ritsu says, pointing at Mio's sizeable bust.

Mio yelps in reaction, covering her chest with her arms. With Mio's eyes looking at me full of wariness, I can't help but bury my face into my hands.

"Ritsu…"

"We meet tomorrow at 7 A.M! Be sure to arrive early!" Mugi chimes happily, signifying the end to our impromptu meeting.

"Yay~!" Yui shouts, raising her glass for a toast.

The sound of clattering glasses was once again replaced by talks of swimsuits and sun tanning. Even I, despite all my efforts towards the contrary, was starting to show some hype.

* * *

_One long-ass train ride, later..._

"Holy shit…" I mutter under my breath. Looking at the towering structure before me. "This place is freaking huge!"

I was already impressed by the location last year, but when Mugi said we had the main villa booked… she wasn't kidding. It was more of a full blown _mansion_ than a villa. Looking around me, I could see that I wasn't the only the one who was fish-eyed. Except Yukio of course, who I'm sure is used to this sort of treatment.

Once inside, I couldn't help but marvel at how nice the place was maintained. It wasn't just spacious, it was up to date and had of all sorts of food, games, and even an outdoor bath!

Yukio was starting to show some annoyance at my constant "oohs", "ahhs" and "what's this do?"

"Ignoring the peasant, Mugi-chan, where should I put my things?" Yukio jabs at me, chuckling.

"You boys are sleeping in the west wing, near the veranda." Mugi chirps, pointing over to the sunlit viewing area.

Ignoring my unpacking needs, I feel the need to step outside to enjoy the view.

This place was picture perfect, and it was if I had stepped directly into paradise. To be able to spend three days here, with all these pretty girls, I'm probably the luckiest guy in the world!

MY view, as spectacular as it was, was cut off as a pair of soft hands covered my eyes.

"Guess who!" I hear from behind. Although I recognized Ritsu's voice immediately, I'd be lying if I said it was the first thing I noticed, as two soft lumps were currently pressed against my back.

"J-Jesus, Ritsu!" I shout, jumping out of her grasp. "Warn a guy before you do something like that!"

"Oh c'mon, It's just screwin' around!" She laughs, patting me on the back.

Ritsu was wearing a white bikini, grinning at me mischievously. Getting a good look at her... enticing figure, I can't help but gulp nervously.

Being this close to a girl I was so attracted to was nothing short of suffocating. My heated cheeks were not a new reaction, but my body starts to tremble a bit.

I distance myself way from her, wanting to calm myself. My heart was beating unsettlingly fast.

What the hell is going on? I've never had this sort of reaction around her before.

"What's wrong, Conrad?" She asks, frowning. "You don't look so good…"

"I-It's nothing. Just feeling a little dizzy." I say, walking back inside. "I'm just gonna... go lie down."

Cracking a slight smile before I leave, I retreat back into my room.

* * *

Reading through a comic book, I try to ignore Yukio as best I can, as he rummages through his things.

"Why aren't you dressed? Are you not going down to the beach?" Yukio asks, adjusting his swim trunks.

I shake my head, not even bothering to remove my eyes from the page.

"Maybe later."

"Whatever, more Ritsu for me!" He says, his tone half-joking half-serious.

"Mhm…" I respond lazily, flipping the page.

Yukio sighs, probably due to my sudden lack of competitiveness.

Once the idol was out the room, I place the comic down and look up at the ceiling.

What the fuck happened earlier? Why did I get so nervous when Ritsu got close to me? We've already kissed for fuck's sake!

Getting up from the bed, I walk over to my bag and search through it. Upon finding what I was looking for, my face warps in disgust.

Pulling out the box of condoms, I sit on the bed and sigh. What the hell am I thinking? Sure, it's always good to be prepared, but should I even be thinking about sex at this point? Is that eve possible? I don't even have enough balls to properly ask Ritsu out yet, and somehow I think I can handle… that sort of thing?

Soon, images of a… less than clothed Ritsu start to fill my brain. AS if going into overload, I grasp the sides of my head in frustration.

"I'm getting too far ahead of myself!" I conclude aloud, throwing the box of condoms across the room. "I need to sloooow down!"

Pacing around the room, I finally stop to take good look in the mirror. Weird-looking, lanky, thick eyebrows, and that damn forehead… my flaws seemed to jump out at me more than usual.

"Ritsu probably isn't even attracted to me physically… why the hell would she want to fu-"

"Yo!" Ritsu voice calls out, suddenly opening the door.

In a split second, I fling myself across the room, cutting off Ritsu's path before she enters the room. The box of condoms lay just out of her sight, sitting evilly in the corner.

"W-what's up?" I squeak out, awkwardly leaning against the doorframe

"Well…" Ritsu starts slowly, looking at me like I'm from mars. "You've been acting pretty weird lately…"

"I still have a little motion sickness from the bus ride here!" I say, not convincingly at all. "I just need to relax for a while."

Ritsu's eyes narrow in suspicion.

"You looked fine on the way here though!" She argues, tapping her foot impatiently. "Just come outside for a bit, some sun will do you good!"

Taking a peek behind me, I once again see the box of condoms sitting there, like a time bomb waiting to explode.

"Alright, fine. Just let me clean up a bit." I say, surrendering.

Ritsu cracks a big smile and latches onto my arm.

"Whoa, hold on!" I yell in defense, as she drags me out the room.

My arm, much to my chagrin, was once again buried near her bosom. Was she doing this on purpose?

Leading me out to the main hall, I take a few deep breaths, trying not to get worked up like before. As our arrival becomes known by the other club members, their chatter stops dead in its track as they stare at us.

"Looks like the happy couple is already getting busy!" Yui laughs, pointing at Ritsu's… intimate grip on my arm.

I pull my captive limb out of Ritsu's clutch in embarrassment. She gasps in surprise at my sudden movement, and nearly falls over.

"Shut up, Yui…" I mumble, rubbing my now free arm.

After regaining balance, Ritsu looks at me with wary eyes.

"What's gotten into you?" She asks, poking me in the chest.

I shrug, looking at the other members. They seemed equally surprised at my sudden antisocial self.

"Well…" I start, looking at Mio in her bathing suit. "If even Mio is ready to play outside, I guess I don't have an excuse."

Suddenly, the slamming of the front door causes everyone to jump in surprise.

"Sorry Conrad, but you won't be playing today!" A feminine voice calls out from the spacious entryway.

Upon looking at the source of the noise, we found no other than Miss Sawako at the door. What surprised us, however, was the fact that she wasn't alone.

Standing next to Sawako was another adult female. She had short and very stylish hair. While Miss Sawako was dressed conservatively as usual, this woman's apparel seemed a little more appropriate for the summer heat. To say she was pretty would be the understatement of the century.

"So…" the mysterious woman begins, eyes scanning across the room, before locking her eyes with me. "Funny looking foreigner… you must be Conrad!" She finishes, walking over to me.

"Sawako told me all bout you!" She adds, extending an open hand to me. Reciprocating the handshake, I glare at Sawako, wondering what sort of unflattering description she gave of me to this woman.

Seeing the confusion not leaving neither my or any other members face, she cracks a big smile.

"I'm Della. I'm an old band-"

"AHEM." Sawako clears her throat.

"An old FRIEND of Sawako's. She told me you wanted some bass lessons?" She asks sweetly

AS the puzzle pieces finally connect in my head, I realize just who this woman was: the former bassist of 'Death Devil'.

"Well, this is a surprise. I didn't think you'd be able to show up so soon. Not to mention all the way out here…" I respond, not entirely prepared for this to be happening so soon.

"To be truthful, I had no interest teaching some brat how to play bass…" Della starts, her sharp words causing my smile to fall of my face. "But once she mentioned the villa, I figured some time off wouldn't hurt."

Della looks at Miss Sawako, and they share a friendly smile. Della's smile soon fades however, as she gets a grip on my hand.

As she examines my hand carefully, I can feel my palms start to sweat. What the hell was she doing?

"Tsk. Tsk. This is no good. I can already tell this will take a while…" Della states, touching my fingers. "These callouses are pathetic. Do you play like a fairy?"

"Uh.." I fail to respond, not sure how to answer that question. Della turns to look at the girls plus Yukio with a smile.

"You kids have fun outside. Conrad-kun and I have a lot of work to do." She says simply, dragging me towards the studio.

"But I want to practice bass too!" Mio says desperately, attempting to follow me.

"It's okay Mio, Della is here to teach Conrad specifically. You're good enough as is." Sawako says, stopping Mio in place. "For the time being…"

Sawako whips out a pair of sunglasses and tanning lotion from her bag.

"Let's go enjoy ourselves!" She announces, before running outside, laughing.

Frozen in confusion, the rest of the Keion shrugs. Before sending some worried looks my way, they also take their leave outside.

* * *

After practicing for what felt like hours, the only thing I can say at this point is Della definitely fits the band's name better than sweet ol' Sawako… I could safely say this was the hardest I've worked in quite some time.

Della's incessant insults and commands only stopped once she heard a deep grumble coming from my stomach. Looking at the clock, she sighs.

"Well I guess it **is** getting close to dinner time…" She states, hands on her hips. "Alright, you can take a break."

Fingers sore and arms tired as hell, I pick my self-off the hardwood floor, and stretch heartily.

"Thank you, Della-sama." I respond sarcastically. Della just laughs in return, slapping me on the back.

Walking into the kitchen, I reestablish contact with the other Keion member, after hours of cleverly disguised TORTURE.

While everyone looked like they had quite a bit of fun, Azusa surprised me the most, as her usually pale skin was tanned to a crispy brown.

Her blushing response to my surprised face only made her look more ridiculous, and I couldn't help but release a few snickers her way.

Unfortunately, my enjoyment was soon caught off by the she-devil Della, as she announces to the club that it was up to me and her to cook dinner tonight. I groan in response, looking at my bass-sensei for pity.

After a mischievous laugh escapes her lips, she comes to conclusion that we're going to barbecue tonight. Everyone cheers in unison, except myself, too concerned at the upcoming work.

* * *

After leaving to the pantry to retrieve some rice, I ran into Ritsu on the way back, who was clearly waiting for me.

"She's really working you into the ground, isn't she, Conrad?" Ritsu asks, laughing slightly.

"She's like a friggin' slave driver!" I answer, occasionally passing the huge bag of rice between my tired arms.

"Well, at least you're learning something…" Ritsu says in a comforting tone.

As much as I'd like to complain some more, Della **Is **in fact a great teacher. It's the insults and roughness of it all that I could do without…

"Yeah, it's only been one day, but I've learnt a lot already." I reply, smiling. "Let's hope I can survive a few more"

Ritsu smiles back, and then stares at me intently.

"Are you feeling better now?" She asks, feeling my forehead. "You were being really weird earlier… you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe later. I've gotta get back before Della kicks my ass!" I laugh, trying to act normal for Ritsu's sake.

It seems to work, as my own laughs are countered by her own, as she matches my pace back to the kitchen.

* * *

"Conrad, are you even listening?" I hear a voice call out to me, freeing me from my thoughts.

"Huh?" I ask, not even trying to pretend like I was paying attention.

Della looks at me with narrowed eyes.

"I ASKED you to pass the BEEF." She asks, emphasizing words to ensure my heedfulness. "The barbeque is lit."

I apologize profusely, passing the uncooked meat her way.

"You look sad, Conrad." She continues, looking at my blank face. "You know, I don't actually think you play shitty. The insults are just supposed to make you motivated."

"No, that's not it." I answer, grabbing a soft drink, before sitting down on one of the chairs on the veranda. "I know I'm pretty shit at the bass. I've just been out of it lately… emotionally"

I look down at the beach, where the girls are killing time lighting up some fireworks. Ritsu was chasing Mio around with a sparkler, as the black-haired girl shrieks.

"Girl trouble?" Della asks plainly, probably following my gaze.

I nod, looking back at the busy cook. She stares at me, clearly uninterested.

"Which one?" Della asks; I guess feigning interest.

"Ritsu." I answer, looking at said girl, who was being smacked in the head by Mio yet again.

A silence forms between us, until I finally realize that Della has no clue who the fuck I'm talking about, completely strangers to the girls.

"…the one with the headband." I finish, as I hear some semblance of comprehension coming from behind me.

"The forehead girl, eh?" She answers over the loud hissing of cooking meat. "I figured it'd be the tall one with the big boobs."

I cough awkwardly. This woman has no tact.

"So what's the problem?" She asks. "Although I'm probably not the one you should be asking about this sort of stuff…"

"Well…" I start, not sure if I even want to talk about this, let alone with a woman I just met. "I've just been getting really nervous around her lately. She's told me that she has feelings for me, but I'm too nervous to even say anything, let alone do something about it"

After pausing for a second, I decide to continue.

"I want to get closer with her, I just don't know how to go about it…"

I look back at Della. Her eyes were fixated on the burning grill, I'm assuming to not overcook anything.

"You don't have the balls to say anything? Well… you **could** just try and sleep with her." The girl states, eyes devoid of much emotion.

I proceed to spit cola everywhere, taking a large sip just as she dropped that hell of a comment.

"You never know, it might work…" She continues talking, still monotone as ever.

"W-What? WHAT?" I repeat, coughing. I was completely blown away by how casually she was treating this discussion.

Della looks up at me, and then covers her mouth. "Shit, sorry! I forgot who I was talking to…"

Della clears her throat nervously, resuming her so called 'advice'.

"…That's what my boyfriend did anyway." She states, laughing nervously. "and we ARE still together…"

I stare at her, at a loss for words. This woman was something else.

"N-not that I support that sort of thing. You're just kids after all." She adds, finally acting a bit adult-like.

"…just remember that these things, they come in time. There's no point in forcing them, no matter how ready you may think you are." She explains, walking over to me and leaning on the balcony. "Don't trip over yourself trying to plan it; just relax, and take things in stride. You'll be okay in the end."

I laugh, causing Della to tense up. "W-what?"

"Nothing. I'm just surprised you turned that around, after telling me to straight up sleep with her." I squeeze out, before laughing some more.

"Well I was never one for words." Della explains, before realizing that the meat was burning. "Oh shit!" she yells, running over to the barbecue.

"Thanks Della-san." I say, although I'm not sure she heard me.

Looking down at Ritsu again, I take a deep breath. She's right; There's no point in getting all nervous about all this intimate crap, it'll happen when it happens.

"Dinner's ready!" Della calls down towards the beach, as the girls look up in excitement.

As the girls rush up towards the veranda, I turn around to help Della serve the food.

* * *

Burp.

"Sorry…" I chuckle, as I clear my plate from the table. "I might have eaten too much."

Ritsu wags her finger dramatically.

"You're so classless, Conrad" Ritsu announces, before producing an even more impressive burp of her own.

"Ritsu!" Mio shouts, face red with embarrassment.

Ritsu laughs were soon cut off by Della's monstrous burp. The whole room went silent, before Ritsu and I burst out in laughter. No one was going to top that one.

"I swear you're still a child, Della…" Sawako shakes her head, rubbing her temples.

"I think I've had quite enough of this." Yukio sighs, before heading towards our shared room. "I'll be entering the outdoor bath soon. I hope you ladies don't mind waiting."

"But what about practicing…" Mio whines, looking sadly at the departing idol.

"He's quite the proper kid, isn't he?" Della asks, before staring at the plates on the table. "The brat didn't even bother to clean up after himself."

"Not like he's ever had to…" I state, pretty peeved myself at Yukio's prissy behavior.

As we continue to clean, I eventually decide to try and convince Della regarding tomorrow.

"So… Della-san. You think maybe I could actually get to spend time at the beach tomorrow?" I ask, trying to put on my best puppy dog eyes. An obviously futile attempt, considering my appearance.

"Kids these days are so undisciplined and weak… I guess. As long as you practice more tonight and don't slack off." She says, sternly, ruffling my hair like a child.

"Yes, Della-sama…" I say venomously, putting another clean dish away.

The girls laugh at my expense; something they're all too comfortable doing, it seems.

"Alright guys, let's go practice!" Mio says, hands on her hips. "No excuses this time!"

Yui pouts, with Ritsu mirroring the expression, albeit with less seriousness.

"But it's so late!" Yui says, crossing her arms "Can't we just do it tomorrow? I want to go in the bath!"

Ritsu nods in agreement. "The bath~ the bath~!" She repeats cutely.

"Yukio's in the bath!" Mio says, annoyed. "We can do that later!"

As Mio continues to struggle to convince Yui, who was now pretty much deadweight, being dragged towards the studio, Yukio's calling voice interrupts the façade developing before me.

"Hey Conrad, why did you bring a box of **Condoms**?" Yukio calls out loudly, obviously trying not to laugh.

Excuse me while I end my life.

Everyone in the room proceeds to freeze in place. The first person to move was Yui, who, after freeing herself from Mio's grip, darted quickly toward Yukio and I's room.

While I cover my face with my hand Picard-style, I try my best to avoid the eyes of Ritsu.

"Woahhh! He's right!" Yui, shouts, voice filled with innocent surprise.

I feel like I'm corrupting a child…

Yui comes darting out of the room again, now staring at me; not exactly with contempt, but with a suspicion that burns right through my shielding hand.

"Why~?" Yui asks, eyes still wide.

I remove my hands from my scarlet face and try to explain, but no words come out. As if following the next logical step, the girls then turn their stares towards Ritsu in search of an answer.

Although I'm sure the look on my face right now was pretty interesting, the one that was crawling onto Ritsu's visage was an odd mixture off embarrassment, disgust, confusion and anger.

"WHY ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT ME?" Ritsu shouts, face red like a tomato. "I didn't buy any stinkin' CONDOMS!"

Ritsu storms off to the studio, her steps heavy and decisive.

"I'm gonna go practice!"

Mio, before taking one last worried look at me, follows Ritsu. This action was soon repeated by both Yui and Mugi, leaving me alone with Sawako, Della and Azusa.

"…on second thought, Della-san, I'm probably going to stay indoors tomorrow." I say, as I robotically move towards my room.

"Conrad…" Sawako calls out softly, but not following it up at all.

I don't know what the fuck is going to happen, or whether I'll be able to explain things later. All I know is that when I find Yukio…

I clench my fist.

He better have a damn good reason for doing that.

* * *

_Ya done goofed, Conrad. You have to find a better hiding place for condoms than in the corner of a room. Can't say I'm too sad that Yukio's in for it though…_

_Anyway, that's the end of chapter 10. I hope you all enjoyed it, and hopefully you're excited to see what's going to happen. If you have any comments, concerns or questions, leave them in the review._

_Also: as a side note, I want to know if there's any interest for me to write a lemon. I know a lot of people don't like them, and If I do end up doing one, it will be in an optional and skippable chapter, but I want to know if there's any demand for that sort of thing. I have enough confidence to write one, and it won't be rushed or poorly written, but I want to know what you guys think. So once again please leave a review._

_TL:DR: Lemon, Y/N?_


	11. Conrad, the Ladies Man

"_**EXblood": **__sup man! Nice to see you're still around. Really appreciate you checking in!_

_**Luzbel de la Guerra:**__ Thanks for your response! And yeah, the idea of a lemon has become less attractive to me as time goes on. If anything, any *ahem* intimate moments between Conrad and Ritsu will simply be implied._

_**Fuuko96:**__ Glad to see your enjoying the story. I went back to chapter 1 and 2, and took care of all the typos I could see. I was planning to do that for a while, but thanks for giving me the motivation to finally do it._

_**MindlessChey:**__ Thanks for the review. *Takes plate* More fanfic on its way! _

_Heya people. Here to continue my Male OC circlejer- I mean story. In all seriousness, after last chapter, I've been looking forward to moving things along. Y'know, Yukio was all like "hurr durr Conrad, condoms herp?" and Conrad was like "omgwtf!". _

…_so yeah, next chapter._

* * *

After quite the loud and fun-filled night in Mugi's spacious villa, the night's earlier laughter and discussion was now being smothered by an awkward silence like a blanket. The anger and confusion in the air was so thick I swear I could reach out and touch it. That is, if I wasn't already furiously hunting down the cause of this sudden problem.

I wasn't surprised to find that Yukio was no longer in our room, the location where he had made his abrupt and embarrassing announcement earlier.

Ritsu's embarrassed expression swirled around my psyche, unsure of how to face her now, but nonetheless, my steps did not slow down on my way towards the outdoor bath.

Yukio announced earlier that this was where he was headed, but after calling me out for my questionable luggage, and knowing all too well that the fuse on my temper isn't exactly long, I figured he wouldn't actually be cocky enough to be waiting for me there.

I was proved wrong, however, as I entered the changing room. Yukio's expensive clothes we're folded neatly in the corner. Peeking out into the steam filled bath, I see Yukio. He was relaxing way too well, considering the shit he just pulled.

I clench my fist yet again, looking at the bathing teen. I know that this was technically my doing, leaving the condoms out in the open and all… but seriously, did he have to go and shout it to the heavens like that?

Before I could take a step outside, however, a strong tug at my shirt collar send me tumbling backwards. With a loud thump, my butt collides with the wooden floor.

Looking behind me, my eyes meet with no other than Azusa. It was an odd feeling to be looking **up** at her for once.

"Sorry…" Azusa laughs nervously. "I didn't mean to pull so hard."

I get up slowly, rubbing my sore behind. Order was restored, as I was once again dwarfing the tiny girl in height. For such a small girl, she had some definite strength to her.

"What the hell was that for?" I ask, annoyed at her unnecessary use of force.

"Because I know that look Conrad!" Azusa answers, pointing at my face accusingly. "You had the exact same face the day of the freshmen ceremony!"

"What are you talking about? What about my face?" I ask, lowering myself to Azusa's height.

"Don't you remember? When Yukio called you stupid, obnoxious, untalented …" Azusa begins listing off Yukio's choice words, much to my disdain. "You snapped!"

Images of lost tempers and principals office's come rushing back to me.

"Of course I remember that! You stopped me then too! Clearly Yukio isn't learning his lesson, I'm just gonna give him... a friendly talk"

Turning my back to Azusa, I start towards the outdoor bath again.

Before the sole of my foot even touches the cool stone floor of the bath, Azusa yanks me by the collar once again.

"Will you stop that!" I shout, frustrated at Azusa's persistence.

"Conrad, you don't have to solve everything with violence!" Azusa responds, trying hopelessly to drag me away from the bath entrance. "If you hurt Yukio-san, what will Miss Sawako think? What will RITSU think?"

"But…" I try and protest, before shutting myself up.

She had a point. I'd worked so hard to try and get along with Yukio. To retaliate like this would just make me look like the childish one.

"Fine." I finish simply, ending the struggle against Azusa's grip. "But one of these days you won't be around, and Yukio will get what's coming to him!"

"What the heck are you two doing?" A cool voice calls out, entering the change room.

I spin around to find Yukio standing at the bath entrance, wet towel wrapped loosely around his waist. He must've overheard our little spat.

Before I could respond, Azusa gasps at the half naked idol. Covering her eyes, she turns robotically towards me.

"Uh, C-Conrad? Could you push me in the direction of the door?"

Grabbing the girl's petit shoulders, I lead her towards the exit. Before I leave as well, however, I take a deep breath again and turn to face Yukio.

"Yukio!" I start, staring at him. "Sorry for leaving those condoms out in the open. It probably was a shock. I can be pretty scatterbrained at times."

"Uh… okay?" Yukio responds, unsure how to react to my politeness.

"It's just…" I say, walking towards him. "Ritsu and I are getting pretty intimate lately."

Yukio's face tightens in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean, Conrad?"

I smile.

"There's nothing wrong with being prepared!" I answer.

Yukio scoffs, giving me a look of pity.

"I wouldn't worry too much, Conrad-kun. I doubt you'll be using those condoms anytime soon" He retaliates, walking over to his new change of clothes.

His comeback left me without much to say. That is, nothing without an excessive amount of profanity. I decide to leave the room before I said something I'd regret. As pissed as I am, Yukio speaks the truth, not that I would let him know. I'm no Brad Pitt; girls aren't exactly lining up to screw me. To an outsider, Ritsu was way out of my league.

Outside, I found Azusa leaning against the wall, waiting for me.

"Are you okay?" She asks, worried.

Taking a deep breath, the excess of anger in my body didn't seem to want to leave. Out of frustration, I punch the wall of the hallway. At first it seemed cool and badass, but the pain that soon overcame told myself otherwise.

"Motherfffffff-" I stifle out in pain, shaking my stinging hand.

Azusa shakes her head in exasperation. I was doing a pained dance throughout the hall, trying to distract myself from the agony.

"You're so uncool, Conrad… " Azusa mumbles, looking half unimpressed, half amused. "Let's go back and talk this out with Ritsu-san."

"Uh... I think I'll pass on talking with her." I assert, blowing on my afflicted hand.

"Don't worry, Conrad, Ritsu isn't the type to take things too seriously."

I think about it for a moment, but I return to shaking my noggin.

"I'll wait until things have a chance to mull over. I have a history of saying dumb shit to Ritsu when I'm nervous..."

Looking at my hand, Azusa snorts in laughter. "Clearly you don't need words to look dumb, Conrad-san!"

I flick her in the forehead, causing her to squeak in pain.

"One of these days, I won't be the butt of every joke around here..."

* * *

Walking back to the kitchen, I was feeling a little better. Yukio can insult me all he wants, he's not gonna score any points with Ritsu by being an ass to me. I was one calm explanation away from dealing with this idiotic mess.

Upon entering the spacious cookery I saw Sawako was sitting at the table, taking to Della. As I walk over to my teacher, I see Azusa walk off to the studio, presumably to rejoin the girls.

"Good god, Conrad, you didn't actually…" Sawako announces, hands covering her mouth.

Confused, I follow her surprised gaze, eventually discovering that she was looking at my bleeding hand.

Once the gears started moving in my head, I countered Sawako's shock with some of my own.

"Oh… OH! You've got it all wrong, Sensei. I was just… taking my anger out on a wall?" I answer, embarrassed. "Yukio is fine."

Sighing in relief, she motions me to sit down next to her. "I was worried you were going to do something drastic…"

"She was too scared to follow you though; with you being a big, pissed off gaijin and all." Della laughs, poking fun at Sawako.

Smacking Della in the head, Sawako eventually turns her attention to my hand. "Della, could you go ask Kotobuki-san if there's a first aid somewhere?"

Simply nodding, Della disappears into the studio.

"Just so you know, Conrad…" Sawako begins, holding my afflicted hand. "There's nothing wrong with what you brought. You're a young man, after all."

I cough, embarrassed at the change of subject.

"However, I hope you know that what you two are doing requires a lot of maturity and responsibility. Pregnancy-"

"Sensei!" I cut her off, shouting. "It's okay, we're not _doing anything_" I continue, lowering my voice as we hear a door opening.

An awkward silence forms as Della and Mugi enter the room. A first aid kit in the rich girls arms.

"I just want to be prepared…" I finish shyly.

Sawako, not wanting to embarrass myself in front of Mugi, simply nods and smiles lightly.

What followed was a period of silence, as Sawako tended to my hand. Della was watching television in the nearby room. Yukio, I assumed, was in bed getting his beauty sleep.

What was perhaps the most disturbing part of this silence was the lack of noise coming from the studio. For a girl who claimed she was 'practicing', Ritsu was not producing her usual energetic drum beats. I really wanted to know what they were talking about, but there's no way I'm going in there on my own accord.

Mugi, who I thought would have returned back to the studio by now, was sitting across from me at the kitchen table. She was wearing an eerie smile, leaving me completely clueless to her intentions. Mugi and I almost never talk to each other, and this sudden change of pace was putting me on edge. I silently pray for her departure.

As if on cue, the door to the studio swings open, and a giddy Yui come skipping out. She gives Mugi a playful hug before looking over at me.

"Hey Conchan!" The bubbly girl greets me. "Are you and Yukio done with the bath?"

"Well, I haven't had a chance yet..." I say, looking longingly in the direction of said outdoor bath.

The other girls followed Yui into the kitchen, albeit with less enthusiasm. My eyes meet with Ritsu's, a connection that lasted for mere seconds, before I dart them elsewhere, still not sure how to face her.

"B-but I'm good for now. Just head on in, and I'll take a bath later tonight." I announce, opting instead to look at my now bandaged hand.

The girls reluctantly leave for the bath, unsure if to ask about the injury. Ritsu, who was particularly dazed at the sight of my hand, was still standing in front of me.

"I... I had a, haha, a teeny accident!" I choke out to Ritsu, causing her to snap out of whatever daydream she was in.

Looking around her, Ritsu suddenly becomes aware of the fact that the other girls had already left for the bath.

Her mouth opens to say something, but after a bit of fumbling around, all she can manage is a giggle. Loud, high pitched and oddly girly, I can do nothing but send her a look of confusion. In response, Ritsu runs off to the bath, clearly wanting this exchange of ours to end.

Damn cute if you ask me.

* * *

Sitting in the studio, I attempt hopelessly to play my bass. I know they say hindsight is 20/20, but maybe punching that wall wasn't the best idea. My bandaged knuckles made my left hand stiff and frustrating to pluck at the strings with. It sucked enough that my hand hurt, but now I was gonna catch hell from Della for screwing up my practicing plans.

Exasperated, I leave the studio. At the very least I had some free time now. I could use some R&R after today.

Returning to the kitchen, there was only Sawako, Della, and Mugi. They were playing cards, and drinking some of Mugi's finely made tea.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, opening the fridge.

"It's almost midnight Conrad, everyone's in bed." Sawako responds, looking over at me. "In fact, that's where I thought YOU were!"

I look over at Mugi, cheery as usual.

"Well I'm not the only student still up, as you can see." I say, gesturing to our resident keyboard player.

"I couldn't sleep, so I made some tea!." Mugi responds, before motioning for me to sit down. "Would you like some?"

What the hell was up with Mugi today? It wasn't like her to be this perky when talking with me. Not that I mind it...

I give a quick shake of my head.

"I'm just gonna take a quick bath, then hit the hay." I jerk my head towards my general destination.

As I start to walk away, a strange noise stops me in my tracks.

"Fufufu..."

"Uh... Tsumugi-san? Are you okay?" I ask, wondering why the hell she just chuckled so evilly.

"That's going to be hard when I locked the bath, Conrad-kun!" Mugi explains, completely disregarding my staring. "I'll come with you, since I have the key!"

Why the heck would she need to lock the bath? It's not like this is a public space. Looking over at Della, she shrugs, clearly as confused as I am. Her cheerful temperament however, as strange as it was, made me forget the details entirely.

Nodding, I wave Mugi over to follow me, to which she quickly obliges.

* * *

Now outside the bath door, I look expectantly behind me, waiting for slowpoke Mugi to open the door.

Needless to say, I was surprised when she simply opened the door without any key being produced, let alone used.

Before I could question her, she grabbed me by my collar and dragged me into the change room. Barely avoiding tripping over myself, I stumble clumsily into the empty and dark change room.

After being released, I rub my throat in annoyance.

"Why is it always me being dragged around?" I ask, looking around for a Mugi shaped silhouette.

Despite my best attempts to navigate the dark room, all efforts were null once the lights switched on, blinding me.

"Jeez, Mugi! Could you warn me before you do that?" I shout, rubbing my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, Mugi was standing in front of me. Her hands were placed decidedly on her hips, and her grinning face sent chills down my spine, as if I could read my last rites on the girl's face.

"This trip has been fun so far, hasn't it?" She asks, brushing some stray hairs out of her face.

For Mugi, maybe. I, on the other hand, have had better vacations.

"I just wanted to talk to you about some recent events..." She continues, her high-class and proper attitude never missing a beat.

She was always possessive of her friends. Could the whole condom incident have sent her over the edge?

"Mugi! I-I swear! Those condoms don't mean anything! T-there not even mine! My dad gave them to me, and..." I trail off, backing away from her.

Mugi gasps in sudden delight.

"You've never called me Mugi before! I'm happy!" She responds, not even bothering to address my frantic babbling.

"Huh?" I ask simply, letting my guard down slightly.

"You always call me _Tsumugi-san_!" She explains, imitating my deeper voice, down to my shitty pronunciation. "You sound like an old man!"

Utterly confused at this situation, I simply shrug.

Seeing Mugi continue to stare, as if demanding an explanation, I decide to speak.

"Well... we never really speak to each other... it just felt appropriate to call you that" I say honestly, looking away. "This is probably the first time we've talked alone!"

Mugi smiles at me, and begins walking towards me.

"You're right! Why don't we commemorate this occasion?"

Her hips swayed seductively, almost to the point of exaggeration. She was biting her lip, and not breaking eye contact for a second. I could feel my face heating up, my palms start to sweat. This was too much for my virgin eyes.

I back off at her sudden approach, before colliding with the change room shelves. Shaken by my contact with the shelf, a small wash tub tumbles off and onto my head. I was suddenly blinded.

"W-what do you mean?" I ask, removing my washtub helmet.

Was this really happening, she couldn't actually want to...

Upon removing the bucket, I was met with Mugi's big blue eyes, hovering mere inches away from my own. She had her usual grin on, but the connotations it carried were much different now...

Leaning in, she drops one hell of a bomb into my ear.

"Why don't we break in that box of condoms?" She whispers, eyes narrowing.

My heart jumps into my throat, as my entire body shivers.

"Buh? Hu.. Wha?"

It was the best I could manage, given the circumstances. I mean REALLY, WHAT THE FUCK. Was I dreaming? I had to be dreaming. My eyes wander towards her large chest, which she was protruding, almost proudly, in my direction.

Mugi, still wearing her trademark smile, follows my gaze to her bosom.

"Do you want to feel?" She asks, squeezing her breasts together.

My heightened emotions boil over, as a shrill yelp escapes my mouth. Slipping away to my left, I escape from the near pin she had on me against the wall.

"M-M-M..." I stutter out, before taking a deep breath. "Tsumugi! What the h-hell is up with you? Do you even know what you're saying to me?" I ask quickly, eyes wide in utter confusion.

"I'm asking for sex, aren't I?" She responds innocently, as if this would somehow help me out.

"I KNOW YOU ARE! WITH M-ME! CONRAD!" I hiss loudly. "ARE YOU DRUNK OR SOMETHING?"

She gives me a puzzled look.

"What's wrong? Don't you want me?" She asks, pouting.

"I BARELY KNOW YOU!" I say, waving my hands in front of me. "You're pretty and everything... REALLY pretty. But... I just don't think this a good idea!"

She appears to ponder for a moment, before snapping her fingers.

"Is it Ritsu?" Mugi asks, voice perking up. "Do you want her?"

I face palm, as my other hand tends to my speeding heart.

"L-look. I don't want ANYONE right now. I'm tired, and I just... I just want to have a bath." I answer, calming down a bit. "I prefer these sort of things to be more... premeditated."

An awkward silence fills the air, as Mugi seems to consider my words carefully. A sign of logic, thank god.

A smile returns to her face once again, as if drawing a conclusion from all this nonsense. Mugi smiles, and starts to walk towards me once again.

I stiffen up, not sure of her intentions, or really anything, anymore.

Just when I thought I couldn't be more confused, Mugi simply pats me on the head.

"You pass!" She chimes, ruffling my hair.

"What... What the hell do you mean, I **PASS**?" I ask, bewildered.

Mugi covers her mouth slightly and lets out a good chuckle. This girl was clearly on a different wavelength than me.

"It was an evaluation!" She replies, walking away, hand behind her back. "A test of your abilities as a man!"

You know what? Fuck a different wavelength; she was on another fuckin' PLANET.

"You call that a TEST?" I challenge, raising my hands in disbelief. "You were coming onto me!"

"I was! And you showed self-control, just like a real gentleman would!" She answers, wagging her finger proudly. "As far as you and Ritsu go, I give you two my blessing!"

I stand there, speechless, for a good few seconds.

"That's all this was for? Couldn't you have done it in a less... confrontational way?" I ask, trying to make sense of this situation.

"But that's not fun!" She says, smiling.

"And giving me a near heart-attack IS?" I rebut, sighing.

Mugi laughs heartily, before turning to me with a gentle smile.

"I talked with Ritsu in the studio. She seems to like you a lot. I may have been a bit... resistant at first to your advances on her, but I see now why she trusts you so much."

Her explanation was tact and proper. Mugi really does take things seriously when her friends are involved.

I shake my head, before walking towards the exit.

"You're crazy Mugi. You're lucky I'm such a 'gentleman'." I lecture, my disapproving voice causing her to pout. "Most guys wouldn't think twice about what you... erm... _offered._ What then?"

"Well, I wouldn't HATE it. Maybe it'd be fun?" She responds, walking towards the door.

"Exactl- Wait, w-what?" I ask, following her out.

Mugi giggles as she leaves the room. Her hips still swaying like before as she gave me a parting glance, as if to tempt me even further.

I don't care what anyone says, girls will forever be a mystery to me.

* * *

_The next day_

"Fuck..." I mutter, looking at my hands. "I never did have that bath!"

I felt sweaty and unclean, not exactly how my ideal day would start. Not that spending today in the studio was any better...

"I don't know Conrad-kun; the stink sort of suits you!" Yukio remarks, as he heads out the bedroom door.

"Shut up, man. In a few hours I'll be in the ocean. This stink will wash off." I respond harshly. "Your horrid personality, on the other hand, WON'T."

Yukio attempts to send another quip back my way, but a smack on both our heads courtesy of Della ends our argument prematurely.

"I thought you were gonna take the day off, Conrad-san." Mio asks me, walking over. "You worked so hard yesterday, don't you want to relax?"

I stare at Mio knowingly. She wasn't the type to try and discourage practicing. I flop down on the floor, and let out a hearty sigh.

"Trust me, I would be at the beach, but playing all by myself doesn't sound very fun..." I defend, looking around. Mio, with the help of Sawako, had managed to round up the whole club without much trouble. My hopes of a day in the sun with Ritsu were all but impossible now...

"What, is there something wrong with me being here?" I continue, trying to act as offended as possible.

"Well..." Mio replies, avoiding my stares. "It's just you're being..."

"A big pain in the ass!" Della shouts, picking me up off of the floor. "Either practice like everyone else, or get out."

Friggin' Della. Yukio was bad enough, but I didn't need a second person who wouldn't tolerate any of my shit.

"Alright, alright..." I surrender, putting my bass guitar back on its stand. "I guess I'll go help Sawako with lunch"

On my way out, I give the door a bitter slam. I get that practicing is important and everything, but between Della, making meals, and the whole condom incident, I've had very little time to enjoy this trip. After lunch, we'd only have a few hours of relaxation before catching an early morning train back to Tokyo.

Arriving at the kitchen, I found a note placed on the table. Miss Sawako had left for the nearby town to get ingredients.

"Well this is just peachy. What the hell am I gonna do now?"

I decide to leave a note of my own, ordaining my own pilgrimage to the town. It was better than a lonesome day on the beach, at least.

Before I could even put my shoes on, however, a familiar voice forces my attention elsewhere.

"Sawako-sensei? Where did you go?" Ritsu exclaims, peeking her head out into the entranceway. "Conrad!"

I shift uncomfortably. Should I talk with her now? I don't really have anything prepared...

My lack of response awkwardly forces her to continue.

"Where's Sawako-sensei? We have some suggestions for lunch."

"Sawako-sensei already left to get ingredients." I explain, putting on my shoes. "I figured I'd head out to town as well."

"Shouldn't you ask Della first?" Ritsu implores, looking a bit worried. "The town isn't that close by, you know."

I shrug, opening the door.

"I told her I'd help Sawako. That's exactly what I'm doing!"

Ritsu laughs.

"Ah, I see what you're saying." She winks. "Not bad, Conr-"

"Do you want to come?" I blurt out suddenly, interrupting her. "Like, a date, or something?"

Not exactly suave of me, but at least it was honest.

Ritsu gives a 'are you shitting me' look, but it seems to be battling against a restrained smile. She takes a few worried glances at the studio door.

"I don't know, Conrad. I was supposed to practice today..."

"I'll buy you whatever you want, my treeeat!" I announce playfully.

I could almost see her ears perk up at my proposal. Before looking nervously towards the door one last time, she looks at me sraight in the eye.

"Screw it, let's go."

Slipping on her flip-flops, she grabs my hand and pulls me out the door.

* * *

"You weren't kidding when you said the town wasn't close by..." I complain, barely able to drag my legs into to the small town's market. "It's almost sunset, and we just got here! I'm tired and hungry."

Ritsu sighs. "If I knew you were going to complain this much, I wouldn't have come!"

Well this isn't the atmosphere I was hoping to create. I called this a date, but this has been anything but romantic. The walk here was long, and I was pretty nervous. I just resorted to joking and complaining the whole time. Come to think of it, Ritsu barely said anything on the way here. Was she annoyed, or just nervous like me? Seeing her poking around the market shops without interest, I feel obliged to improve the mood.

"Sorry, you're right." I say, grabbing ahold of her hand. "Let's pick out something nice for me to get you."

Ritsu cracks a small smile.

"You said whatever I want, right?" She says, giving me puppy dog eyes.

I cringe. "Well let's not bankrupt me, okay?" Patting my back pocket for effect.

While Ritsu looked at some old vinyl records, I take look around at the market. They didn't have that much stuff, but for a small town the selection was surprisingly diverse. I consider looking around for Sawako, but I decide against it, as I didn't want her to spoil the mood with Ritsu.

"Look Conrad! It's 'The Who'!" Ritsu shouts, yanking me over to the vinyl selection. I can't help but chuckle at her shoddy English (not that my Japanese was any better).

"Oh yeah... you like Keith Moon, right?" I ask, taking a look at the vintage record. "Who's Next?"

"Yeah! I own it already, but not a vinyl like that! Can you get it for me?" She asks excitedly.

"Do you even have a turntable?" I ask, glancing skeptically at her.

"No..." she replies, innocently. "But I will eventually!"

Rubbing my temples, I produce my wallet. "Alright..."

"Yahoo!"

* * *

Walking away from the market with Ritsu's new present, we take notice yet again of the setting sun.

"Oops..." Ritsu utters, looking at her cellphone. "Looks like we're going to miss dinner..."

The sudden reminder of food kicks my stomach into gear. My stomach's rumbling seems to function as a response, as Ritsu laughs.

"I'm pretty hungry too..." She adds, rubbing her stomach.

"Well why don't we just find something to eat?" I ask, looking around for any restaurants.

"I'd like to... but we should really head back. Sawako-sensei is probably worried about us." Ritsu says reluctantly.

"Well..." I pause, thinking about our predicament. We're going to head back to this town to catch the train later tonight anyway...

I take out my cellphone.

"I'll just phone Sawako-sensei and tell her we'll just stay here until the train comes." I explain, dialing in the numbers

"I don't think it's that simple, Conrad. The train comes at midnight, and Sensei won't just let us wander around a town at night." Ritsu contends, looking at the evening sky.

"Well the least we can do is TRY, right?" I reply simply, entering the last few numbers to Mio's cellphone. "Besides, I wouldn't mind some more time with you."

Ritsu seems to try and reply, but I stop her, as I hear someone pick up.

"Conrad?" Mio's usual shy tone calls out to me. "Where are you, is Ritsu with you?"

"Yeah, we're both fine. Can you put Sawako-sensei on the phone, please?" I ask politely.

"I don't know, Conrad, she seems pretty angry with you. You guys should head ba-" Mio warns, before suddenly being cut off. What followed was the sound of rustling and faint shrieking.

"Uh, Mio? Are you still there?" I call out, wondering what the hell was going on.

"CONRAD! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? IT'S ALMOST DARK OUT" Sawako calls out, donning what I dubbed her 'Death Devil' persona. Needless to stay, my body jumped in surprise at her venomous tone. "YOU AND RITSU GET BACK HERE THIS **INSTANT!**"

"S-sensei, calm down! We're just-" I franticly explain.

"WE'RE JUST WHAT? FIRST THERES THE CONDOMS, NOW YOU TWO RUN OFF TO ELOPE?" Sawako yells, as giggles from Yui can be heard in the background. "JUST WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TWO PLANNING?"

"We're not eloping, you crazed woman! We were looking for you when we lost track of time!" I hiss quietly back at her, trying not to freak out Ritsu. "Look, the sun is setting, and I don't think it's particularly safe for us to venture all the way back to the villa. I'll just check us into a hotel, and we'll meet each other here tomorrow when the train arrives, okay?"

"A HOTEL? ARE YOU STUPID? DO YOU HONESTLY THINK I'M OKAY WITH TWO HORMONE CRAZED TEENAGERS-" Sawako

Oh god, screw this.

"What? WHAT? Sorry Sensei, you're breaking up." I say, whilst making fake crackling noises with my pursed lips. Ritsu was giving a questioning stare. "I'll call you tomorrow, Sensei!"

Hanging up, I turn to Ritsu with a big grin.

"Uh, there were some connection problems." I say, trying to appear sincere.

Ritsu was blushing, looking at the ground. "A hotel, Conrad? Really?"

I cough loudly.

"Not THAT kind of hotel, you moron!" I reply, embarrassed myself. "A regular hotel, with separate beds! Separate ROOMS if you want."

Ritsu eyes widen in surprise.

"No! Of course! I knew that! I didn't think we'd actually..." she quickly explains, disordered from the embarrassing discussion.

A thick silence begins, but Ritsu breaks it by demanding that we go get some food, as we were both starving at this point.

Agreeing wholeheartedly, I turn my cellphone off and follow Ritsu over to a nearby café.

* * *

_A few hours later_

Now with full stomachs, I tell Ritsu I'll pick up the bill. Feeling a bit drowsy, though, I decide to get some caffeine into my system.

"Do you want some coffee before we go?" I ask my cute friend, currently distracted by some noisy kids nearby.

"Huh? No, I'm fine Conrad." She assures me, before sending a long stare my way.

"Uh... just one coffee to go, please." I tell the waitress, trying not to mispronounce anything. Ritsu's staring was throwing me off.

As I grab the hot coffee, I look over at Ritsu, who was currently smiling wide.

"What's up with the big smile? You like being with me that much?" I say, poking her in the cheek.

"I was just thinking about what Mugi told me." She mentions simply, while brushing my hand away.

My heart skips a beat as I look nervously at my club mate.

"Erm, what exactly did she say..." I speak carefully, memories of Mugi's unorthodox 'test' last night still fresh in my mind.

"She told me about your encounter in the bath!" Ritsu says, smiling.

I choke on the coffee, as the sudden revelation sends the hot beverage straight down my wind pipe. After a bit of amateur nursing from Ritsu, I manage to force out a few words.

"Don't get the wrong idea Ritsu, that was just..." I trail off, rubbing my throat in pain.

"Wrong idea? She just said that you guys talked, and she said that you're a really nice guy, or something." Ritsu says, tilting her head in confusion.

"A 'gentleman'?" I ask, repeating Mugi's choice term out loud.

"Yeah! She said that we'd make a great couple!" Ritsu laughs, before stumbling a bit over what she shared. "S-she's a crazy one, isn't she?"

"I don't know, is she?" I ask, honestly. "I think we get have some pretty good chemistry..."

Ritsu blushes, but fails to say anything back. A sudden chime from her pants, however, causes her face to relax. She digs through her pockets, producing a cellphone.

"Oh, it's a text from Mio..." She says slowly, whilst reading the message. "She says Sawako is pretty pissed at you."

"Well, no shit." I utter quietly. When I met with Sawako again, I can only hope that she'll show some mercy.

Ritsu walks out the café, as she starts to type away.

"Hey, you want to turn that off?" I say, looking at the device.

Ritsu gives a me a strange look. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I just figured it could just be the two of us tonight." I say shyly, kicking at the ground.

Ritsu shakes her head, and continues typing.

"You're being difficult, Conrad. I'm just letting Mio know what's going on."

Fair enough. Better safe than sorry, I guess.

"Mio says the girls will try and cover for us." Ritsu adds, before slapping her phone shut.

We decided to ask for directions to the nearest hotel. When we arrived at the place, it looked pretty basic, but I guess we couldn't expect much from such a small town.

The two clerks inside gave us quite the surprised look when we entered the place. There was an older women with long grey hair, and a more younger counterpart with shorter, black hair. Both were dressed in very traditional clothing.

"Oh my! You two are so young! Are you from the city?" The older woman asks Ritsu.

"Uh, yes! We need a place to stay for tonight." Ritsu says, sounding much more formal than usual.

"And could you make it cheap, please?" I add apologetically.

The two women at the front desk look at each other, and proceed to whisper for a while.

"Are you two runaways or something?" The elder woman asks suddenly, causing the other woman to perk up.

"Could you be caught up in a forbidden love with this foreigner? Did you run away from your parents?" She asks excitedly, practically bending over the desk.

"Could you two stop interrogating her, and just get us a room!" I say, tapping impatiently on the wooden desk.

The women look at me with judging eyes, disturbed by my rudeness.

"...Please?"

* * *

After we settled down in our shared room, Ritsu still couldn't stop laughing over the two women earlier.

"I can't believe they really thought we were runaways!" Ritsu giggles, looking around our small room.

It did seem pretty ridiculous that they thought this was some dramatic escape, rather than the reality of two teenagers clumsily trying to plan a romantic date. Some people watch too many TV dramas, I guess.

"I just wish I could take a frickin shower! If I knew we were going to stay the night, I would've brought a change of clothes." I bemoan, poking inside the bathroom.

"Yeah, I feel all sticky from the heat. It's gross." Ritsu agrees. "But you never had that bath, did you? I'd hate to be in your body right now!"

"Shit, you're right. No wonder I feel so dirty..."

Looking over at Ritsu, I notice her tugging on the front of her tank top to cool herself off. The sight of this beautiful girl doing this right in front of me was tantalizing to say the least.

"Screw it; I'm taking a shower anyway!" I announce, shutting the door behind me.

"Wait Conrad!" She calls out from the other side.

No way, could she actually want to join me?

"Do you maybe have a bandage? I got a blister from all the walking we did today." She continues, shattering my stupid pubescent fantasy.

I rack my brain for a moment before answering.

"Probably not. If I do, it'd be in the front pouch of my bag." I call out, before stepping into the cold, cold shower. I needed to calm down. Ritsu may not be as unpredictable as Mugi, but I'm not even going to try to guess what was in store for me tonight.

* * *

After a good, long, shower, I step out of the bathroom. I felt refreshed, despite the fact that I was back in my sweaty clothing.

All moods aside, when I walked out and saw Ritsu, deadpan look on her face, holding a condom in her hand... naturally, I was a little put off.

"...shit. T-that's not a bandage... hehe." Was all I could manage.

"Do you just carry these with you everywhere, or what?" she asks, shoving it in my face.

"...well yeah. At least when I'm with you." I blurt out.

Seeing Ritsu's bug eyed reaction to that statement, made me opt for a revision of my words.

"I-I mean, not that I think you want to... y'know, do THAT. That'd be weird, right? Look at YOU and... look at ME, right? That'd be weird, right? It's just sort of a dumb thing... right?" I babble on, before stopping for a moment.

What the fuck did I just say, even?

"...I'm just gonna put that away." I finish reluctantly, snatching the condom from her hand.

"Conrad, I... if you want to, I-I'm okay with it... I think." Ritsu says, as I fish around in my bag.

I turn around slowly. She was sitting on the bed.

"Are you serious?" I ask, my hands trembling.

She nods, face scarlet red.

Walking over to her, I plop down next to her. I take a deep breath, looking anywhere but her eyes. Ritsu closes the small distance between us, and I shiver slightly when our thighs touch each other. Taking a peek at her face, I see her blushing face, eyes locked firmly onto me.

Leaning in slowly, I see Ritsu close her eyes and mirror my advance; we were clearly on the same page.

"Y'know, before we do this... You should know you could do a lot better than me" I say, my eyes still closed. "Like, a LOT better."

Leaning forward, I try to meet with her lips, but am met with a light smack on my forehead. Opening my eyes I can see that she's not impressed.

"You really know how to kill a mood, don't you?" She asks, shaking her head.

"I was just saying... I thought it was a compliment." I say, scratching my head.

She grabs my hands rightly. "Conrad. I... don't want somebody else. I think you're handsome and fun to be around."

I cant help but smile as Ritsu tells me this, eyes now looking at the ground intently.

"It's just not a... 'conventional' handsome." She adds, leaning in once again.

"Gee, thanks..." I say, rolling my eyes.

"JUST SHUT UP AND KISS ME, IDIOT!" she yells, planting one on my lips.

Before I could even start to reciprocate the kiss, however, the door to our room swings open.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU TWO BRATS!" Sawako yells, emerging from the hallway. "YOUR HONEYMOON IS OVER!"

Ritsu shrieks at the sudden intrusion, pushing me off the bed. With a loud thump, my head hits the floor. While I writhe in pain, Sawako starts bombarding Ritsu with a lecture, of seemingly endless length.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?!" Ritsu asks, covering her ears from Sawako's nagging.

Mio appears behind Sawako, an apologetic grin plastering her face.

"The cat's out of the bag... Sensei found my phone." Mio says, shrugging. "She read our texts..."

"SEE sensei? I told you! You should've knocked, you interrupted their romantic scene!" Yui protests, now entering the room.

"Nonsense! These two have caused us all sorts of trouble! Romanticism or not I..." Sawako responds, continue her nagging rant.

"What romantic scene? Where!" Yukio shouts, peeking his head in. "if he's done anything to Ritsu, I'll kill him!"

As the entirety of the club slowly makes their way into our room, the barrage of accusations and questions start to give me a headache. I get up from the floor, and take a deep breath.

"WILL EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP?" I yell out, causing the whole room to go silent.

I had a lot of explaining to do, and I'll be damned if I was going to have people screaming at me the whole time.

* * *

_Hours of explanation and apologies later. _

"Did you actually think you'd get away with this stunt of yours?" Yukio scoffs, sitting on the bed next to me.

Sawako had taken it upon herself to not only separate myself from Ritsu and the rest of the girls, but to put me in the same room as Yukio, who clearly has an issue keeping thoughts to himself.

"Shut up, Yukio. Don't you have autographs to sign or something?" I grumble, trying to get some sleep before the train ride home.

"Hey, you brought this upon yourself. Because of this stupid search for you and Ritsu, we had to skip dinner and lug all of our and YOUR luggage over here. What's more, we missed out on some valuable relaxation time!" He replies, making a big fuss.

"Okay. First of all, Sawako made me pay for your guys's dinner. Secondly, Mugi got you a ride here in a fucking limo. Third of all, **FUCK YOU I WANT TO SLEEP!**" I list off, ending it with a good dose of English profanity.

Yukio immediately shut up, despite his obvious desire to keep berating me for my actions today. Amongst all of Sawako's punishments, both now and the ones no doubt waiting for me back at school, I might have the nerve to call this a bad day. Hell, I could even call this a bad **trip. **But you know what? Screw that. I'd take years of Sawako's wrath if it meant could get closer to Ritsu. And despite all the blunders of today, I can safely say: mission fucking accomplished.

"Ritsu thinks I'm handsome..." I call out into the now dark room.

"What?" Yukio calls back, sleepily.

"Nothiiing!"

* * *

_Christ on a Cracker! That went on for much longer than I intended. I just couldn't find a good place to end it, so it ended up begin quite a bit longer than the past chapters. I hope you guys don't mind. _

_There's not much else to report, so I'd like to say thanks for reading! Leave a review if you feel like it. I always like getting feedback, negative or positive! _

_See you guys next time._


	12. Moment of Decision

_**Formerly Ex-Blood (:P): **__Well, I can assure you that the proof will come in time. Hopefully this chapter will suit your tastes. Thanks!_

_**MindlessChey:**__I am glad you think I did a F****ing great job. I hope to continue to do so in the future. Thanks for reading._

_**Mr. Guest**__: Thanks for stopping by! You want more, here is more!_

_Alright boys and gals, I wrote this one right away, because I had some great ideas for the story. I hope the quality is preserved, despite my eagerness to continue the story. Be warned, there is some serious dramatic shit about to happen. Fasten your seatbelts. We goin' for a bumpy ride. :D_

_As always, I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

It was a typical evening in the Ferguson household, at least from what I could tell. My door was locked, my bass guitar at the ready, and my music blasting so loud that I couldn't hear my shitty voice, no doubt butchering the original song.

This also meant I couldn't really hear myself playing either. At this point, though, it wasn't so much about practicing as it was about just letting off some steam. Sawako had really been working me into the ground ever since I pulled that stunt during the training camp, so I was appreciating my relaxation time quite a bit more than usual.

Soon enough though, some sharp raps on my door break my self-induced music trance. I could hear my dad calling my name from the other side, and he didn't exactly sound happy. My stepmom, as supportive as she is with my music, even had her limits; ones that I seemed to be passing at the moment.

Glancing at the clock, I see that it's only 7 in the evening. I usually had a little bit longer before I was shut down. What gives?

Turning down the music, and opening the door, I was met with the exasperated face of my old man.

"Sup, pops?" I greet, smiling. "Want me to keep it down?"

He frowns, looking inside my room.

"Didn't you say you had a Japanese assignment due tomorrow?" He says, giving me a cold stare.

Oh crap. That WAS today, wasn't it?

"Oh! Well, I was planning on doing that soon..." I say nervously, my father's glaring still as intense as ever. "...Really!"

My Dad scratches his bearded face for a second, before walking away. I thought I was home-free, but my dad sends out one of his monotone-voiced demands; usually a sign that he was gonna chew me out.

"Come downstairs, Conrad."

"Ah crap... alright." I respond, slouching considerably. I was in deep shit, wasn't I?

* * *

Finally making my way downstairs (after delaying the action considerably), I was met with the sight of my Dad and stepmom, sitting at the dinner table. They were looking at me strangely.

Approaching the table, I can feel my face grimace.

"Look, I'm not good at reading faces." I say, pulling out a chair. "Am I in trouble or what?"

My dad laughs a bit.

"Well, not exactly." He says, looking at his hands. "I just got off the phone with your principal."

I cringe, taking a seat at the table. "Well that CAN'T be good."

"Your midterm scores were... eye-opening, to say the least." My dad says, scratching his head.

I shift uncomfortably in the chair.

"Look Dad, it's not that I'm not trying..." I start, leaning back into my chair lazily. "It's just, well, I'm not that smart!"

"That's bullshit and we both know it." My dad replies, taking a sip of a beer. "I know you're no genius Conrad, but you never had this much trouble."

I shrug, as a silence fills the room. My stepmom elbows my Dad in his side, as if to clue him in. He nods back, before looking at me seriously.

"Are things all right at school, Conrad?" He asks, leaning forward.

"You never tell us anything. You spend your nights blasting music and playing video games. I barely see you study-" My stepmom's ranting starts to fill the room.

"Things are fine! I've made some friends, and I'm helping out a lot with the club..." I defend, crossing my arms.

"So... level with me. Why are you having such a hard time concentrating on school?" My dad asks.

I see that my dad wasn't going to drop the subject anytime soon. Despite my current urge to just up and leave, I decide to just be honest with him for once.

"Because... I just don't seem to fit in here, I guess. Everyone takes school so seriously, y'know? My Japanese still needs work, so I can't keep up with the pace very well..." I explain, as my dad nods.

"I've really only met one person who I feel comfortable around. So I've just been pouring all my effort into the club so I can see her more..."

My dad serious face contorts slightly, showing signs of amusement.

"This is about a **girl**?" My dad says, laughing slightly. That is until my stepmom nudges him, and he tries to disguise it as a cough.

"No! Well... sorta." I stumble, burying my face into my hands, "It's just I spend all day in class, dreading each lesson, and my only refuge is the clubroom, and some GIRL." I mumble into my hands.

Peeking through my fingers, I see my dad looking solemnly at me.

"...I figured." He says finally, looking at my stepmom. "Fuck. I knew I shouldn't have dragged you halfway across the globe like this. I don't know why I thought you could adjust so quickly."

My stepmom holds his hand, comforting him.

"Well, it's not like I HATE Japan." I start, shaking my head. I didn't like seeing my dad so stressed out.

"I know. I just... I kept telling myself that things would work out for us in the end. I was so desperate to finally settle down, that I completely ignored your feelings." He says, shaking his head.

How did this go from being about my short comings, to his? This discussion felt horribly out of place, as my dad was pretty much beating himself up right in front of me.

"I made you leave your friends, your school... goddammit." My Dad says, getting up. "I'm getting another beer."

As my dad leaves for the kitchen, I take a second to think about things. What was the point of this discussion? I don't see how acting depressed like this is magically going to fix my marks.

That is, unless...

"Y'know, Conrad..." My Dad states, cracking open the beer. "It may be the middle of the school year here, but back home, a new year's just starting!"

"Dad?" I ask, pretty much knowing where he was going with this,

"I was worried you might be having some trouble, so I've been talking to Uncle Cal back home." My dad reveals, passing me my own beer, much to my stepmom's annoyance. "How would you feel about staying with him, and going back to Canada?"

I crack open my beer, looking my dad straight in the eye.

"...Are you serious?" I ask, opening the beverage.

"Do I look like I'm kidding? As much as I wanted you to come along with me, and for us to live as some picture perfect family, I can see that I was being naive." He says, wrapping an arm around my stepmom. "Me and Akane can stay here; we're fine if you want to go back."

Well, this is unexpected. My dad was usually so adamant that we stuck together; it was one of the reasons I ended up here, after all. But now, he was willing to let me go back home without him.

"You're really okay with me living by myself?" I ask, still a bit taken aback. "I thought you didn't want me to; until I was older."

"Well, you'll still have your old Uncle Cal around." My dad reassures me, smiling, albeit nervously.

"Uh... we're talking about the same _Uncle Cal_, right?" I chuckle. "The one who smokes weed and gambles all the time?"

My dad coughs awkwardly, as Akane dons a bewildered expression.

"You didn't tell me that..." my stepmother whispers, though not quietly enough, her voice dripping with anxiety.

"Look, we'll work with what we have, okay?" He sighs, shaking his head. "Besides Conrad, You're going to be an adult soon. I think this could be a great opportunity for you to get used to making your own choices!"

My own choices aside, it's not like I was really that worried; Uncle Cal was a pretty laid-back dude, and I'd be willing to take much worse circumstances if it meant I could go back to Canada. I'm just surprised my Dad is being so laid-back himself... he's really trying hard for my sake.

"Well... how long do I have to figure this out?" I ask, rubbing my eyes nervously.

My dad glances at my stepmom, before looking at me apologetically. "Well, that's sort of the problem here."

I don't like the sound of that.

"Like I said, a new school year is starting back home; as in _now_." He continues, fidgeting. "Just so you don't find yourself falling behind again, I want you to transfer at the start of the semester. At most... I can give you a week."

I choke slightly on the beer I was currently chugging. Taking a second to regain composure, I make sure that my eyes are as a wide as possible before I start spewing out my no doubt angry words.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? A FUCKING WEEK?" I shout, slamming the beer down.

"Calm down, Conrad! Your father nearly had to beg your Uncle to get you a place to stay. This wasn't an easy decision for us, either!" My stepmom responds, standing up from her chair. "There's no need to raise you voice!"

As much as I'd like to yell more, I decided against it, as my dad was already stressed as is.

This was huge, to say the least. A chance to return to my old life. My friends, my school, my hometown! I could get everything back! Even further, with graduation looming in my near future, I had to seriously consider my career path. Returning home would give a chance to prepare for university, college, whatever!

I chug the rest of the beer and then get up myself.

"I'll think about it." I say simply, before heading up the stairs.

Why couldn't it have been the usual argument with pops? Why this? Why NOW?

* * *

_The next day – At school [7 DAYS REMAINING]_

"...So that's basically what's happening." I say, finishing my explanation to Tanaka.

The bespectacled boy was on the edge of his seat. His bug-eyed look was almost comical, as his thick glasses exaggerated his expression.

"Have you talked about this to Ritsu-san?" Tanaka says, relaxing a bit, now that my story was over.

I groan, slamming my head against the desk. That's the last thing I want to think about now. If I had known_ this_ was going to happen, I would've been a bit more forward with my feelings. Maybe I could have actually made something out of my clumsy attempts at romance. Now it was looking more than likely that I'd be leaving before I even got to tell her how I really feel.

"No... you're the only one who knows right now." I respond finally, my voice muffled, as my head was still pressed to my wooden desk.

Tanaka adjusts his glasses per usual.

"Well, I'm glad you came to me first." He says, his usually hyperactive-self toned down quite considerably. "I'm happy I got to be your friend this past while, Conrad."

I chuckle, raising my head from the desk.

"Why are you speaking in past-tense? I'm not leaving for sure, and even if I DID, we'd still be friends." I say, extending an open hand. "You're my bro!"

Tanaka smiles wide, grabbing my hand and shaking it furiously.

"Of course! Bros forever!"

A shadow looms over my desk, as my buddy-buddy moment with Tanaka is stopped abruptly.

"What are you two doing, getting all lovey-dovey?" Yukio asks. "It's sickening, frankly."

After giving Yukio a cold glare, I get up from my desk and grab my bag. I punch him lightly in the arm... just for good measure.

"Whatever dude, let's just go to the clubroom." I say, not even wanting to bother with Yukio's asinine comments today. "I'll let you know if anything changes, Tanaka."

After Tanaka gives me one last parting handshake, Yukio and I make our way to the aforementioned Keionbu.

* * *

Today, the girls of 'Houkago Team Time' decided to demo the set-list for the upcoming festival.

After sitting through it, I couldn't feel much other than pride, really. Having been in this club since it's inception, I was able to see this group of girls grow into some horrible monster of talented cutesy-ness. They sounded great, and I couldn't wait to see them at the festival. Or at least, I would be if that wasn't my potentially last day in Japan, making the date more bitter-sweet than anything.

After giving them a long round of applause, Yukio and I decide that we should probably show the girls what we've been working on these past few days. One of the punishments that Sawako laid upon me after the trip was, in fact, to finally play nice with Yukio and come up with something for the festival.

What followed was a slightly messy rendition of Reptilia by The Strokes. Since we were planning on putting this act on display, we got Ritsu to back us up on drums. I felt kinda bad asking her to learn the song, seeing as she was already busy enough with her other festival duties. That being said (and as per usual with Ritsu), her energetic personality shone through, and she gave us a hand.

The other girls seemed to enjoy it too, as they slowly got into the rhythm as we played. I had to admit, Yukio WAS a good musician, and it was pretty fun to play alongside him. Now if only I could say the same about his personality...

As we finished the song, the girls gave us another hearty period of applause.

"Not bad for two sworn enemies, huh?" Ritsu laughs, walking up behind me.

"Well, I'm glad that we have something to show for the festival, at least. It's about time I got on stage!" I laugh, placing my bass down.

"Well if you two keep it up, we'll give you plenty of time to play alongside us!" Mio says, giving me a big smile.

I frown slightly. "Right... Sure."

Goddamnot. Just as I was starting to find my place in this club, I'm already considering leaving it all behind. And it's not just that really; there's plenty of things about Japan that I've grown to like. The concept of missing it all pained me, if only a bit.

"What's up with you?" Ritsu says, patting me on the back. "You look so dramatic right now!"

Looking behind me, my eyes meet with Ritsu's, and she smiles. She was so pretty... so fun to be around. Out of all the aspects of Japan, all the people, places and things... I'd _definitely_ miss her the most.

I continue to stare at her, pretty much trying to etch her face into my memory, now in a particularly sorrow mood. I can't believe I might have to give up on this girl...

"Uhh... Conrad?" She says; obviously put off by my sudden staring. "Are you okay?"

How dense was I to have not said something earlier? What the fuck was I waiting for?

...

Welp. Here goes nothing.

"Ritsu... I know this is a bit sudden, but... I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever met." I start, my words completely unrestrained, for once. "Did you know that?"

"W-what?" Ritsu says, trying to keep a straight face, though failing quite obviously.

"A-and, I know you probably think I'm weird, but..." I say, blushing slightly. "Whenever I look at you, my heart starts beating like crazy... a-and I want to hug you really badly."

Ritsu's reaction to this was priceless, and her rouged face only darkened as Yui started to snicker. I guess this is the price I pay for letting my mouth flap away; It's not going to be very tactful, or poetic for that matter.

"C-Conrad, what the hell are you even saying?" Ritsu shouts, backing up slightly. "Have you lost your marbles?"

Yukio, who had been watching with bewildered eyes this whole time, begins to speak.

"Yeah! What the hell-" He snaps at me. His speech is cut short, though, as Mio elbows him in the side. Yukio squeaks in pain, and looks wide-eyed at our usually reserved bassist.

Mio nods at me, clearly wanting me to continue.

"Ritsu... I l-love you!" I say blatantly, my face unmoving.

The room goes dead silent, except for a small gasp from Yui.

"I love you!" I repeat, as if a broken record.

"Hold on a second Conra-!" Ritsu starts, putting her hand over my mouth.

Pushing her hand away, I continue.

"I LOVE YOU, AND I REALLY THINK YOU SHOULD BE MY GIRLFRIEND!" I shout, voice cracking in nervousness.

Wow. That... actually came out right. It wasn't eloquent, but hot damn was it right!

"It's about time..." Sawako chimes in, currently sipping tea from the corner of the room.

Ritsu's face turns a deep shade of red. Her lips tremble a bit, and the whole room seems to freeze in place, waiting for her response. One moment it seemed like she was about to yell at me, while the other she would seem to be seriously considering my offer. It was priceless, to say the least.

"...O-okay." Ritsu says shyly, her usually bellowing voice lowered to a mumble. "Just stop shouting such embarrassing things, you dumbass!"

"Yay~" Yui whispers quietly, probably not wanting to ruin the moment.

I grab Ritsu's hand and look her straight in the eye.

"Let's walk home together!" I say, trying to maintain my confidence.

"O-okay..." Ritsu repeats robotically, squeezing my hand.

As we leave the room quietly, I can't help but smile as I hear Yukio's shouting coming from the clubroom.

"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?"

* * *

Ritsu and I walked in silence for god knows how long. We were both so embarrassed, unwilling to even begin to tackle what had just transpired minutes ago. I found this kind of funny, given that we had already been plenty romantic around each other. I guess once it came down to actually spelling out how we felt, it was a whole other ball game.

"...What's gotten into you?" Ritsu finally speaks, looking up at me quizzically. "Where the heck did that confession even come from?"

"Uh... I wouldn't worry about that." I chuckle nervously. "Let's just say I decided it was now or never."

Ritsu seems to accept this, staring down at her feet. "Do you really mean what you said? That I'm p-pretty?"

"Hey, don't undersell yourself. I said the _prettiest_." I correct her, kissing her forehead.

She giggles at this. This was fairly uncharacteristic of her, but I guess neither of us need to hide stuff like that anymore. We were officially a couple, as hard as that was for me to believe. After stressing so much about how to advance our relationship, It's almost as if a big weight was off my shoulders.

"Well I'm glad you did that before the festival... that can be our first date as a couple!" She says, grinning.

Aaand the weight is back on. The festival... was potentially my last day in Japan, my last day WITH HER. I really didn't think this through.

Looking down at her face, she was gleaming. Meeting my gaze, she gives me a small kiss on the cheek.

"And, uh... I love you too, Conrad." She says, diverting her eyes away.

I chuckle, causing her to pout.

"Jeez~, this is so embarrassing!" Ritsu laments, as I laugh harder.

As we continued to walk, this time a bit more confidently, I start to think about my situation again. Did I have it in me to tell her now?

No... I don't, and I'm a piece of shit because of it. Suddenly my decision was a lot more complicated. I was at a crossroad between my love for Ritsu and my love for Canada. Suddenly, the cold realization of this situation hits me:

This is going to end horribly, isn't it?

* * *

_The next morning – Ferguson Household [6 DAYS REMAINING]_

"Dude... you fucked up." My old friend says to me. I see his blurry face cringe, as the quality of the computer image was quite poor.

It was my best friend, Rudy. We were talking over webcam, as he had suddenly called me this morning.

I had to say, he had good timing. He was just the man I needed to talk to right now. Before he even had the chance to tell me why he called, I jumped down his throat with my own worries. Luckily, Rudy seemed to be in a listening mood right now; something quite uncharacteristic of him.

"Why the fuck would you ask out a girl right before you leave?" He asks, laughing.

I flip him off, making a point to stick my hand right in front of the lens.

"I don't know man, screw you. You know how shitty I am with girls..."

He laughs even harder.

"That's true. I'm still surprised you even got a girlfriend, Conrad."

"Besides man, I'm not leaving for sure. I haven't decided." I say, rubbing my eyes yet again.

He gives me this knowing look.

"C'mon dude. You won't actually let some Japanese broad stop you from coming home, will ya? There's plenty of hot girls here!" He says, giving me his signature grin.

"She's not 'some Japanese broad'" I say, shaking my head heavily. "I love her."

Rudy gives me a long, hard stare. I can almost feel the intensity from across the world.

"Fuck! You're serious, aren't you?" He says, finally catching on. "Well shit, dude. That's a real problem!"

I facepalm. "No shit. Anyway, what did you call me for?" I ask, wanting to take the spotlight off of me. It wasn't common for him to go through the effort of using a webcam.

"Well, it was because of this!" He says, showing me a plane ticket. "I was gonna visit you for that festival thing, before school started. Now I'm not sure if I want to get caught in the drama, though."

I perk up, examining the tickets carefully, even though the out of focus shot didn't reveal much.

"That's awesome! It'll be nice to see you!" I say, smiling.

"Well that and... I'd like you to introduce me to that one girl... what's her name?" he asks slyly.

"...You don't mean Tsumugi, do you?" I ask, disgusted at his intentions. "Why are you so interested in her?"

He scoffs loudly.

"She asked you to GROPE her, Conrad. She sounds like my type of girl!" Rudy says, grabbing two imaginary boobs.

Grabbing a pick, I throw it at the webcam.

"You sick fuck. I should have never told you that." I say, shaking my head. "I'll introduce you to her, but don't expect her to spread her legs for you just because you're a westerner. It doesn't work like that... TRUST ME."

"Yeah well you don't have this be-you-tiful mug!" He answers, pointing to his face.

Shaking my head, I reach to turn off my webcam.

"Friggin' idiot." I say, as the image of my old friend fades away. As happy as I was that he was coming, the last thing I needed was even more things to worry about for the festival...

Sighing heavily, I grab my backpack from the side of my bed, and head out for school.

* * *

Sitting in the principals office, I take a deep breath.

"...So how are my odds, ma'am?"

She looks through my transcript a second time, pausing occasionally to look at my nervous face.

"Frankly Conrad-san, you'll have a hard time passing your exams this year, let alone your classes." She begins, removing her glasses. "And it will only get harder next year. University entrance exams are no joke, and preparation will be long and arduous, regardless of your intention to take them."

My heart sinks. Not exactly what I wanted to hear; Can't say I'm surprised, though.

"Well... thanks for your opinion." I say, extending my hand over her fancy desk. "I... It was a pleasure to be a part of this school. I'll be transferring after the festival"

"Well I can't say you were always the most pleasant student to deal with, Conrad-san. But you're certainly... spirited." She responds, smiling.

Smiling? Eh... that might be a little strong. Anyway, she accepts my handshake, signifying the end of our little discussion.

Leaving the principal's office, it feels as if someone was ripping out my heart right now. I guess that's it... I'm leaving Sakuragaoka.

I decide the first thing I should do would be to contact Tanaka, so I head over to the Cosplay Club.

Knocking on the door to the clubroom, I cringe, as none other than Yoko answered the door.

"Long time no talk, Yoko-chan." I say, almost guiltily. Ever since the festival, things had always been a bit awkward between us.

"Conrad-kun!" Yoko smiles, avoiding my eyes slightly. "What brings you here today?"

"I need to talk to Tanaka... about some things." I say looking past her. Not particularly hard for a girl as small as her.

Yoko calls out my friend's name, and after a bit of confusion, a costumed Tanaka emerges from behind a curtain. He was dressed from head to toe in a Gundam suit.

"Holy crap! Did you make that, Tanaka?" I ask, thoroughly impressed by the craftsmanship.

"Yep! I was just testing it out before the festival!" he exclaims happily, removing the helmet. "You could guess how hard it is to move in this thing..."

After discussing his work for a bit, I take him over to the side of the room to tell him the bad news.

"I'm leaving the school, Tanaka." I say, after collecting my thoughts a bit.

Tanaka drops his Gundam helmet, and I can see his face twitching slightly.

"Conrad..." He starts slowly, before giving me a hug. "We'll stay in t-touch right?"

His voice carried a distinct sadness, and it resided in me strangely. I was trying not to laugh though, seeing as I was currently hugging a man in a mobile suit.

"Of course, Tanaka." I reply, surprised at his emotional response. "What's got you so choked up?"

"Well, it's just... I n-never made friends easily, since I'm so uncool." He explains, frowning. "Some people even bullied me at my old school."

"Tanaka..." I respond, though not sure how to comfort him.

"Coming to this school alone, I was scared!" He adds, stumbling over his words slightly. "But you showed me kindness, and accepted me for who I was! I'm glad we became friends, Yankee-san!"

"Hey, man... the feeling is mutual! Thanks for being there for me." I reply, patting him on the back. I couldn't help but smile, feeling quite flattered. As much as I like to give him gruff, Tanaka was the closes thing I had to a brother here... I'm gonna miss him too.

"Just... don't call me Yankee-san anymore." I add exasperatedly.

"Of course, Conrad!" Tanaka replies, now finally returning to his usual goofy grin.

"Anyway, lets save our fancy words for Sunday! I ain't gone just yet!"

We laugh together for a while, before I decide to take my leave to the Keionbu.

Jesus. If this is how emotional I get over TANAKA, then I don't even want to think about talking to Ritsu!

* * *

As I walk into the clubroom, I see that the frantic practicing that usually precedes a school event has not slowed down one bit. The girls were making sure they got everything down for Sunday.

Sawako, who was watching intently, catches sight of me out of the corner of her eye. She frowns slightly, before approaching me.

"I heard from the principal..." She says, adjusting her blouse. "Are you going to be okay, Conrad-san?"

"Yeah. Well, I think so, at least. You haven't told the other yet, have you?" I answer, looking over at the girls, currently playing their hearts out. "I'd rather keep it a secret, at least until things quiet down."

"I figured you'd say that, actually." Sawako replies, before looking over at Ritsu. "What about Tainaka-san? You won't even tell her?"

I rub my eyes furiously.

"I-I don't know. I want our least week together to be fun, so I don't think I'll tell her just yet." I convey to Sawako, shrugging.

"Conrad-san..." Sawako begins, looking like she wants to share something important.

"Don't worry, I wont ignore my duties for the festival..." I chuckle, having a hunch about her thoughts.

"Uh, r-right..." Sawako sighs, looking over at the girls again.

"We'll all miss you, Conrad." She adds, dropping the usual honorific. I can't help but smile wide. "Make sure to visit at some point"

About to respond, I shut up when I see the girls walking towards us.

"Hey Connchan! Do you think you could help me later with my English pronunciation? I don't know why Mio put all these English words in the song..." Yui says, her face full of energy as usual.

While Mio and Yui start to argue about the prior's choice of lyrics, I decide to let the club know of Rudy's arrival.

"Maybe later, Yui; I'm gonna head home. But, just so you guys know, my best friend is coming all the way from Canada to see you guys live. I kept building you guys up in my emails, so you better impress him!" I announce, laughing a bit.

The girls ooh and ahh. I've never told them about my friends back home, so they must be at least somewhat interested.

"So much pressure..." Mio says, hiding her face in nervousness.

As I turn to make my leave, Ritsu tells me to wait so we can walk home together. Mio tries to lament the fact that they haven't practiced enough, but Ritsu uses her usual charms to dodge Mio's complaints.

It was a shame that I couldn't enjoy her newfound affection, but as a result, I felt like I had to indulge her even more.

"You want to... come back to my place? Maybe for dinner?" I ask, giving her a tight hug.

"S-sure!" She replies, clearly still a bit put off by our changed relationship.

Mugi giggles heartily. "It's like they're characters in a romance novel, or something!"

While Ritsu berates Mugi for being so over the top, I can't do anything other than encourage Mugi, never wanting to miss an opportunity to embarrass Ritsu.

* * *

_Later that evening - Ferguson Household_

"You didn't tell me your parents weren't home tonight..." Ritsu says shyly, as I kiss her neck.

We were on my bed, and since we got in the door, we've been having trouble keeping our hands off each other. Par for the course, I suppose, for two teenagers.

"I didn't want to ruin the surprise..." I reply, squeezing her tightly.

Just as she leans in for a kiss, I hear the kettle go off.

"Ramen~ Ramen~" I sing happily, leaving my bed.

Ritsu pouts. "Couldn't you have cooked something more... romantic?"

I chuckle timidly. "Sorry, it's all we have right now. My stepmom hasn't restocked the pantry yet."

After preparing the noodles, I brought the steaming cups back up to my room. I was surprised, however, when I entered and Ritsu was nowhere to be seen. I place the Styrofoam cups down, before peeking into the hallway. Where in hell did she go?

Suddenly, my closet door opens from behind me. Before I could even turn around, Ritsu had pounced on top of me. She tries to take me to the ground, but she quickly realizes she lacked the strength to do so. Even so, she manages to push me over to my bed, all the while laughing like a maniac. Pushing me down on the bed, she grabs the waistband of my jeans. Immediately frozen in fear and ecstasy, I can do nothing but lie there expectantly as she undoes my belt.

"Woah! W-what's gotten into you, Ritsu?" I ask, voice shaking noticeably. I always figured _I_ would be the one on the attack. Then again, our club president _was_ always the type to take charge.

"Nooothing~" She coos, whipping the belt off of its loops.

Not knowing her intentions, and being too shy to retaliate, I am left completely speeches as she wraps my arms behind my back. She then ties my hands together with the belt, forming an impressively strong knot.

"H-hold on, what the fuck?" I say, finally coming to terms with what she just did. "This isn't fair!"

As I struggle against the knot, albeit not very hard, she mounts on top of me, straddling my waist. She had a devious grin, making me feel quite uneasy,

"That's the point, dummy..." She whispers as she leans down and kisses me deeply.

This simply was too much. I was completely at her mercy, and she was taking full advantage of it. She unbuttons my shirt, and starts taking her sweet time touching my chest all over.

Ritsu laughs as she no doubt feels my... lower region reacting to her touch. She starts to just barely grind her lower body into mine, almost playfully ignoring what she was doing. I gasp loudly at the sensation. She does it agonizingly slowly, and I can't help but groan a bit.

"Your heart is beating so fast..." she says, placing her hands on my chest.

"R-r-r-Ritsu..." I stumble out. She laughs at my stutter.

Suddenly, she gives me this bashful look. After being so aggressive, what could possibly be causing her to hesitate?

"Uh, I think I accidentally flipped my switch..." She smiles awkwardly.

"W-what the heck is that supposed to mean?" I ask, still nowhere near having calmed down.

"What I'm saying is..." She chuckles nervously. "I want to know where you keep your _condoms_..."

"Oh! R-r-right in the d-d-dDR- HOLY SHIT!" I yell, looking over at the door.

My stepmother was peeking in my bedroom, eyes wide as saucers.

"AKANE! G-GO AWAY! PRIVATE MOMENT HERE!" I yell desperately.

Ritsu flings herself off of me, leaving me awkwardly sitting there; I was unable to move, Ritsu's bondage still tying my hands tightly.

"S-sorry Conrad! I... I just wanted to say I restocked the pantry... uh, have fun!" She shouts, before slamming the door.

The room was silent for a good minute, as Ritsu sat at the edge of my bed; eyes still glued to the bedroom door. I cough awkwardly.

"Did that just... happen?" She asks, blushing heavily. "Did your stepmom really just catch us... doing..."

"...yep." I respond.

"Are you still... good to go?" she asks, looking at my crotch.

"...nope." I say, sighing. "She killed it."

"UGH! Why does this keep HAPPENING?" Ritsu shouts, getting off the bed.

As pissed as I was that our moment was ended early yet again, the funniness of the whole situation isn't lost on me.

"Uh... w-would you mind untying me?" I say, laughing slightly.

* * *

_Dinner at the Ferguson residence!_

Holy shit was this awkward.

"Why the hell am I still here?" Ritsu whispers to me, as my mom cooks us some pasta.

"I don't know, just roll with it!" I reply, shrugging.

My stepmom would keep looking back every once in a while, just to smile at us. I'm her _stepson_, and *I* feel creeped out, I can only imagine how Ritsu feels.

"Your Dad ran into some old coworkers at the bar, so I decided to head home early!" Akane chirps, serving Ritsu a particularly large portion of noodles. "Eat up!"

As we eat in silence, my stepmom cleans the dishes nearby.

"By the way Conrad, even if you like that sort of play, you really shouldn't use your uniform's belt for tying like that. There's some perfectly usable fabric in the laundry room" She announces suddenly, not even looking back at our big eyed reactions.

"Oh for fucks sake..." I whisper, exasperated completely with tonight's happenings.

* * *

_And that is it for chapter 12. It was a little short compared to the last, but alas, I want to take my time writing this part right. I'll try and make the next one more satisfying. _

_Hopefully you guys enjoyed reading this chapter, because I had fun writing it. Gotta love Conrad's stepmom :P._

_As always, leave a review if you have something to say, whatever it may be. Let me know if you like or dislike anything specific, so I have something to work on. Always wanting to improve!_

_Catch you folks next chapter._


	13. Loose Ends

_**EXBLOOD**__: Couldn't have said it better myself. Makes me wanna change the chapter name to "lol, cockblocked" XD. Thanks for reading!_

_**MindlessChey: **__Aye, as much as Conrad likes to think of himself as an average fella, he does go through a lot of weird experiences. Thanks for the review!_

_**Luzbel de la Guerra: **__Thanks! Hope I can keep you interested!_

_**ShadowFreddyRaven: **__Uh... thanks, I think? Thank you for reading! Excuse my ignorance... :l_

_**Homsar955**__: No kidding. These two lovebirds can't seem to catch a break. Many thanks to you, fine sir!_

_Welcome Back, my friends. It's about time I continued this story, isn't it. I didn't want to make you guys wait too long, considering how tense things are plot-wise, but I also had to make sure the quality is up to par. Hopefully I didn't fail in either respect, and I hope that you guys enjoy the latest chapter of THE FOREHEAD GIRL... 'Loose Ends'_

* * *

_Haneda Airport [48 HOURS REMAINING]_

Taking his first steps out of the Haneda Airport and unto Japanese soil, Rudy stretches his arms dramatically.

"Didn't sleep well, eh?" I ask the yawning boy.

"I can never get any sleep on planes, man. Too stuffy." He responds, giving me and exasperated look.

"Well, I hope you're not too tired. I haven't seen you since winter break, and I want to show you around!" I say, patting my coat pocket. Inside, was a small checklist filled with landmarks and activities.

"Don't you have school to go to?" He inquires, pointing at the uniform I was currently sporting.

I look down at the tie strangling my neck. Loosening it, I give Rudy a thumbs-up.

"Don't worry. This is just my disguise!" I explain while unbuttoning my blazer. "I wanted to fool my stepmom."

I start walking towards the bus stop. Rudy follows me, laughing.

"You're quite the delinquent, Conrad." He jokes. "Skipping school, disobeying your parents? Just where will you draw the line?"

"Meh. I'm leaving in two days, what's the harm at this point?" I counter, shrugging. "Besides, all they're doing at school right now is preparing for the festival, so it's not like I'll be missed."

Or so I say. Everyone was frantically preparing for Sunday; they really needed all the help they could get. But I've been knee deep in work all week, and I figure it's alright if I take a day or two off. I still feel a little guilty for giving up one of my last few days with Ritsu, but our schedules have been so crazy lately we've barely had time to talk, let alone hang out. I still have no clue how I'm gonna break the bad news to her, and the fact that my time is so limited isn't helping either. I figure I'm better off enjoying my day then spending it stressed at school, so fuck it.

"So where to, Mr. Tokyo-Expert?" Rudy asks, bringing me out of my thoughts. We were standing at the bus stop, and I had still yet to tell him what we were doing or where to.

"How about we hit up the arcade first?" I say, pulling out my checklist. "There's a pretty decently sized one right by my place."

Rudy nods silently, preoccupied with a few girls to his left. They were staring at him pretty blatantly, but I couldn't exactly blame them. Rudy not only had a head full of strawberry red hair, but he had grown it out this past couple of years. His ginger mop-top now nearly reached his shoulders. To say he was an attention magnet would be an understatement.

"Hey, you think those chicks are checking me out?" He smiles, pointing stealthily to the trio of schoolgirls.

"This is like the third time you've asked me that!" I answer, tired of my friends' obvious intentions. "It's been what, five minutes since you landed?"

"Well?" He says, waving at the girls. They giggle in unison, and start whispering amongst themselves. "I think the one in the middle is looking at you!"

Sometimes I can't tell if Rudy is legitimately this girl-crazed, or just loves making me feel nervous. Back home, whenever I was in an awkward situation with a girl, you could be damn sure it was Rudy's doing. It was to the point where I wasn't sure if he really wanted to help me with my girl troubles, or just loved watching me squirm.

"Oh, what a shame. The bus is here!" I announce sarcastically, as the white vehicle pulls up.

As I practically pull him onto the bus, he gives the girls a parting smile. Sitting down next to me, he sends me a defeated glance.

"I was about to get my Mack on, dude!" He says, crossing his arms.

"And just how the hell do you plan on doing that? You don't know a lick of Japanese!" I smile, looking out the window. "Your 'Mack-ing' skills are useless here!"

Rudy gives me a long stare, before leaning back into his seat.

"Party-pooper..."

* * *

After a fairly long bus ride, we had finally arrived at our destination. Rudy's expectations weren't that high to begin with, but he was pretty excited once he stepped inside the arcade. It wasn't easy to find places this extensive and active back in Canada. I followed Rudy from one machine to the next, helping him out with instructions and the like. I didn't even feel like playing. Relaxing like this after such a hectic few days was more than enough for me.

"Die, Die, Die!" Rudy shouts, the plastic guns in his hands blazing away.

He was playing one of those 'rail' shooters. Y'know, the ones where you shoot the gun off-screen to reload? Anyway, he was a little busy, so I put the soda he requested next to him, the metal can clinking against the arcade cabinet. The sharp sound gets his attention, as he briefly wrestles his eyes away from the action-filled screen to acknowledge my efforts.

"Thanks bro." He says, before returning to shooting, aliens, monsters or whatever the hell they were.

Usually Rudy wasn't this intense about video games, but his exuberant personality had already earned him a small audience. In particular, there was a fairly pretty girl that Rudy had his eye on. Every time he'd clear a level, he'd look back to give her a thumbs up. She would respond with one of her own, usually.

After finally biting the dust in his little game world, he turns to start talking to the aforementioned girl. Before I could even try the game myself, Rudy taps me on the shoulder.

"Dude, translate for me! I'm stuck here!" He says, frantically tugging on my sleeve.

I groan, before turning to confront this girl.

"He doesn't speak Japanese..." I grumble. The girl takes my intrusion less than well, backing away slightly.

My sudden intrusion caused the girl to tense up considerably. I was less... well... baby-faced than Rudy, and my annoyed tone didn't help either. She politely excuses herself, and returns to her group of friends.

"What the hell did you just say to her?" Rudy chuckles.

I shake my head, before turning to play the shooting game.

"I guess it doesn't matter what language you use, Conrad." Rudy continues laughing, patting me on the shoulder. "You scare off girls of all cultures!"

"When's the last time you've seen me pick up a girl, huh?" I say, pressing the toy gun against his forehead.

He ponders my inquiry for a moment.

"Well what about those girls from your school?" He asks, snapping his fingers. "You're dating one of them!"

"I didn't **pick her up**!" I correct him. "We were just in the same club, is all."

I'd like to tell him that I had overcome my usually dorky self during my stay in Japan, but my relationship with Ritsu was pretty much a fluke. Neither of us made any major moves on each other until things had time to fall into place. As convenient as that was for a shy guy like me, it's a shame that I only have a few days to enjoy this relationship, at least at a personal level.

It's not like I haven't considered a long-distance relationship with Ritsu, but that's really not up to me. I have no clue if she would be comfortable with that situation, and the only way for me to find out would be to confront her; not something I'm particularly ready to do at the moment.

"Dude, are you even trying?" Rudy says, pointing at the screen.

The words YOU ARE DEAD flashed repeatedly. I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I forgot what I was doing. Could you blame me, though? For once in my life, I've met a girl who I have more than just an unrequited crush on. Now, I was just a few days away from potentially throwing it all away. The fact that I was so scatterbrained recently should come to nobody's surprise.

"You seem tired. You want to head back to your house?" He continues, shoving his hands back into his pockets.

"I guess." I shrug, shoving the toy gun back into its holster.

I think for a second. Today was the last day I had 'free' before the festival. Tomorrow's going to be so busy that I doubt I'd have much time to enjoy myself. Might as well make tonight count.

"You mind if I phone a friend of mine?" I ask, as we exited the dark arcade, the sunlight causing me to wince considerably. "We should go out and party tonight."

Rudy stops, filling his face with exaggerated surprise.

"You, PARTYING?" He laughs. "Who are you, and what have you done with the real Conrad?"

I scoff, picking up my pace.

Whatever. I may not be the most social guy, but I might as well get my fill of Japan before I'm sent back home. At least a bit of partying might take my mind off of Ritsu...

* * *

_Ferguson Household_

"Yankee-san... are you sure it's such a good idea for us to be drinking again? Especially since you fell out of that tree..."

Tanaka was looking at me worriedly, as I gathered some supplies for tonight. He passes me a bottle of sake, as Rudy pokes around my room curiously.

"What's he saying?" Rudy asks, starting to get annoyed at Tanaka's inability to switch to my native tongue.

"Tanaka, ENGLISH" I speak, as if I was giving orders to a robot. "And I thought we agreed you'd stop calling me that!"

Tanaka perks up, before once again apologizing profusely to both Rudy and me. The language barrier between the two was quite apparent the moment Tanaka arrived. It was weird, as I knew Tanaka had decent English skills. I guess Tanaka had forgotten that not all 'Yankees' are fluent in Japanese.

Before taking a second to gather his words, Tanaka gives it a shot.

"Conrad... uh... fell out of a tree." Tanaka stumbles out, chuckling slightly. "He knocked himself out." I can almost see the gears turning in Tanaka's head, as he switches languages.

I can see Rudy's face light up, always happy to hear about my misadventures.

"Wait, what? I need to hear this..." Rudy laughs, walking over to Tanaka.

As Tanaka starts to explain, I audibly sigh. Rudy never lets me forget any of my embarrassing stories, and boy, was I good at producing them. Just like those disturbing cosplay pictures from last year's festival, he'd probably share my drunken escapades with everyone back home. I stop myself from complaining, however, as it was nice to see the two finally conversing naturally.

I go back to packing various things for tonight, as Rudy's laughter fills the room periodically.

The story gets cut short, however, as my Dad knocks on the door.

"Conrad, you have some visitors." He announces, peeking his head in the room.

"Can't they see we're very busy here?" I joke, walking to the door. "There are adventures to be had!"

My dad failed to mention that these visitors were right behind him, and not at the front door as I thought. He ushers in Ritsu, followed by the rest of the Light Music Club.

The club members stop in their tracks to take in the view. I was currently wearing aviator sunglasses, while Tanaka sat behind me, an unlit cigar hanging out his mouth.

"Conrad..." Ritsu starts, sounding particularly annoyed. "We came all the way to your house because you were absent today. We thought you were sick!"

I fidget nervously. Ritsu walks towards me, snatching the sunglasses of my face.

"What they heck are you two doing?" She asks, before catching a glimpse of Rudy, who was currently lying on my bed. "Three?"

"..Sup?" Rudy greets my club-mates.

The girls stare at Rudy for a moment, before turning back to me. That is except for Yui, who seemed particularly dumbfounded by my friend's unique appearance, and continued to stare.

"Uh... This is Rudy. He's the old friend that I kept mentioning. I skipped school to show him around." I begin, as everyone seems at a loss as to what to say. "He doesn't speak Japanese, so..."

I can see Yui and Ritsu visibly tense up. I know all too well that neither of them have much English knowledge. As awkward as this might be for them, at least I might be able to get a few laughs out of this. It was nice for a change, to not be the one with the language barrier.

I take the time to introduce Rudy to everyone, even if to just put names to faces. Rudy suddenly becomes much more interested when I reach Mugi. His intentions, although blatantly obvious to me, are lost on the others.

"Conrad's mentioned you a few times. You're quite pretty, if you don't mind me saying." Rudy says, shaking her hand.

Ritsu gives me a questioning glance. I'm actually glad that her English isn't up to snuff, as I'm not sure how she would feel about Rudy's transparency. Not that I was worried. Perhaps if the words were coming from any guy other than Rudy, but he just exudes a type of confidence that not many can muster. As a result, I'm not surprised when Mugi responds positively, giggling at my friends compliment. Japanese girls tend to be fickle about this sort of thing, but Mugi isn't exactly a walking stereotype. She sees the best in everyone, so I can see that Rudy won't catch much gruff for his goofy and to-the-point personality. I can't help but wonder how much easier my first few weeks at Sakuragaoka High would've been with even a bit of Rudy's social skill.

I can feel the room lose quite a bit of tension, as Rudy and Mugi start to converse naturally. I had to hand it to Mugi, she had great English, and thank god for that, because I don't know how I could handle translating all of Rudy's romantic crap.

As the girls crowd around Rudy, asking him questions as if he was a celebrity, Yukio taps me on the shoulder.

"You have a lot of nerve, asking Ritsu out, and then treating her so poorly." He says, shaking his head. "What kind of boyfriend leaves his girl alone the whole day, without any notice?"

"The kind who realizes that she isn't the clingy type." I retort, stifling a laugh. "Not all girls like to be pestered, Yukio."

Ritsu breaks off from the group of girls, overhearing my comment.

"Will you two stop bickering for once?" She says, grabbing my hand. "It's okay that you skipped school for your friend, but don't become a delinquent, Conrad."

I laugh, snatching back the sunglasses Ritsu had taken earlier.

"What were you guys planning on doing, anyway?" Ritsu asks, looking at the assortment of snacks and drinks in my open bag. "Not one of those stupid 'manly adventures', again..."

I laugh nervously. "Bullseye."

Ritsu rolls her eyes dramatically.

"Yep! One last time before Conrad-" Tanaka answer proudly, before I nudge him sharply in the side.

That was close. Now was not the time to spill the beans, not in front of everyone like this.

Tanaka gives me a quiet 'sorry', before slinking away.

"What, do you guys have something better in mind?" I ask, trying my best to derail the conversation away from Tanaka's broken comment.

Ritsu looks like she wants to press Tanaka further, but she returns to all smiles as Mio walks over, holding a piece of paper in her hand. Handing it to me, I see that it's a colorful flyer.

"Live House?" I ask, reading the big, red, words headlining the advert.

"Sawako-sensei said we should see some real bands tonight, to pump us up for tomorrow's performance." Mio explains, moving to my side. She points her finger to a small list at the bottom. "Look, Della-san's band is headlining tonight!"

My eyes widen in excitement as they scan across the page. "SUCCUBUS eh? Not a bad name for an all-girl metal band." I hand the flyer to Rudy. "Are you down, Rudy? Cause I sure as hell am."

"Well I don't know what the hell this says, but why not." Rudy laughs, passing the flyer to Tanaka, who has a little more luck reading the language.

"Can we get we get some food before the live, though? I'm starving..." I ask, rubbing my stomach.

"First things first; I want to go change into something nicer!" Ritsu says, tugging at her school uniform. "We can meet up somewhere for food later."

The others girls agree, along with Yukio, who never was a fan of our stuffy uniform.

"I bought some cute clothes this past Sunday!" Ritsu gives me a big smile, as everyone starts to head out my room.

"It's not like you need to go all out and dirty some new clothes, Ritsu. I'm sure it'll be dark at the live anyway." I say, escorting the girls to the entrance.

"She's not dressing up for the live, Conrad, she's doing it for you!" Azusa shouts, facepalming.

I turn to Ritsu, who's pouting face causes me to chuckle nervously.

"hehe... sorry. Please continue to wear cute things!" I say, clasping my hands in apology.

"Dummy..."

* * *

"I can't believe we had the time to eat a whole meal before the girls even showed up!" I say, as Rudy, Tanaka and I walk out of the diner. "Why is it that girls take so long to get ready?"

Rudy laughs. "Tell me about it. You'd think they'd be done by now..."

The sun was just setting now, and there was just under an hour before the live started. Hopefully the girls found some time in there preparation for some grub, or we're going to be hard pressed on time.

"AHEM!"

The loud noise pulls our attention to our left, where the girls that we were just busy mocking were standing, right outside the train station.

Since I lack the composure at the moment to say this out loud... let me be clear that I withdraw my previous comments. No matter how much I'd like to complain at the time the girls took to arrive, it seemed every moment was well spent. The girls were dolled up considerably, and they all looked very pretty. Ritsu was wearing a black one piece dress. The frilly skirt fluttered gently in the breeze, along with her hair, which she was wearing down, much to my pleasant surprise. She was even wearing heeled boots, making her look overall quite feminine. As much as I love Ritsu's tomboyish self, this version of her was quite... sexy.

The other girls flanked her with comparable beauty, and not one of us guys could seem to say much; even Rudy, which is saying a lot!

Yukio, who appeared behind the girls, shakes his head at our gaping faces.

"I think you broke their minds." Yukio sighs, adjusting his own fashionable outfit. "Simpletons..."

When Ritsu said she was going to wear something 'cute', this wasn't exactly what I imagined. I figured a nice shirt and some cologne would suffice, but damn, we men stuck out like sore thumbs now.

"You uh... you didn't hold back, did you?" I ask clumsily, walking over to Ritsu like an obedient dog. I was clearly smitten, even I could tell. "I apologize in advance for any staring_.__"_

Ritsu tries to act offended, but her blushing face shows she appreciates the effect her efforts were having on me.

"These Japanese girls are a whole new kind of pretty..." Rudy says, for once showing a bit of humility in his words. I translate Rudy's comment, just to let the girls know. Some giggles ensue.

After a bit of awkward mulling, Rudy walks over to Mugi and extends a hand towards her. "Uh... is it cool if I..."

"Fufufu..." Mugi laughs, before accepting the boy's hand. "Men are so easily swayed." The remark, spoken in Japanese, was lost on Rudy completely. He doesn't care, however, as he gently leads Mugi away.

Looking around, Yukio shrugs, before extending his own hand towards Mio. "We might as well make this into a group date, right?"

Mio blushes heavily. "Hamada- I mean, Yukio-san..." She sputters out. Mio never was able to get over the whole starstruck thing with Yukio. She eventually takes his hand, despite her introverted self. "Sure!"

Tanaka, who eventually realizes what exactly is happening, looks over at Yui. When she notices his gaze, however, he looks away quickly. Yui, being an airhead as usual, doesn't catch on.

I lean over to Tanaka and tap him on the shoulder. "Just go for it, bro."

"What? No way, she's way too pretty for someone like me!" He replies, tugging at his collar nervously.

"Are you kidding me? This is Yui-chan we're talking about! She's pretty much the nicest girl ever..." I retort, pushing him slightly towards Yui.

Begrudgingly, He slowly makes his way over to her, shuffling awkwardly as he does it.

"Hirasawa-san? Do you... can we... I mean- we're the only ones..." He speaks in bursts, not making any sense.

"Huh?" Yui says innocently, tilting her head like a curious puppy.

"You guys are paired up for the group date!" Ritsu shouts impatiently, although clearly having fun watching this debacle.

"Ohhhh..." Yui says, eyes wide in rare comprehension. She gives Tanaka a big grin, before grabbing his hand and skipping away. "Let's catch up with the others, Tanaka-kun!"

My geeky friend nearly trips multiple times, probably still in shock that that somehow worked. Ritsu and I were left at the diner entrance, trying our best not to laugh.

Ritsu gives me a kiss on the cheek. "Aren't you glad we got past that awkward stage?" She laughs.

"Please... when you date someone like me, awkward isn't a stage, it's a lifelong contract!" I say, joining Ritsu in laughter.

Ritsu smiles, patting me on the back. "Give it time, Conrad. Give it time."

My smile dies down, as I look down at my sneakers. "I wish I could." I mumble.

"What?" Ritsu asks, leaning in close.

"Forget it. Let's go catch up with everyone!" I say putting on my best happy face.

"Okay..."

As much as I'd like to enjoy this night, a nagging feeling in the back of my brain prevents it. How much longer was I going to keep this secret?

* * *

After finally making our way to the live house, we were happy to find that we weren't too late; the live hadn't started yet. That being said, we did cut it particularly close. The place was crowded, and we didn't have a great view of the stage.

"This is kind of lame..." Ritsu announces, trying to peek over the guy in front of her. The first band had started playing, and although it was sure as hell loud enough, the distance to the stage made the whole experience a little dull.

"It's not so bad." I reply, trying to lighten the mood.

"Easy for you to say, mister six feet tall. You're one of the tallest guys here!" Ritsu pouts.

Looking to my right, I see the others enjoying themselves fairly well. The music was actually pretty good, for just the opening act.

"Hey, me and Ritsu are gonna see if we can't squeeze to the front!" I shout over to Mio, who gives me the thumbs up, not wanting to yell over the blasting music.

Ritsu squeaks in surprise as I pull her into the crowd. "Hold on tight!"

After a bit of strategic maneuvering, and a few close calls with some shady looking guys, we eventually made it to front row. Even I was impressed with how easy it ended up being.

"THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER!" Ritsu yells.

She was right. The energy in the front row was completely different, and it was much more exciting.

As we danced to the music, or what you could call dancing in a crowd this cramped, we were both grinning ear to ear. Ritsu eventually lets out a small shriek, however, and clings to me.

"I swear some guy just felt me up!" She shouts nervously into my ear.

I guess I should've known better. Ritsu was pretty attention-grabbing in her fine attire, and it wouldn't surprise me if some creep tried to cop a feel. Though hoping that it was just a misunderstanding, I still suggest to Ritsu that she stands in front of me. After moving over, I then made a barrier around her with my arms arms and the barrier at the front of the stage. She seemed content with this, and a lot less nervous. She soon went back to dancing, and even playfully grinding up against me a bit. She knows how to push my buttons, that's for sure.

Soon enough, SUCCUBUS came onstage. As soon as I saw Della walk out, I yell out her name. Ritsu soon joined in, hoping to get her attention as well. She looks around the crowd for a while, before locking eyes with me and Ritsu. She smiles wide, looking both happy and surprised to see us.

Before she could react, however, the band started playing. It was metal, all right, and it was loud and fast as fuck. Ritsu, although not really into this sort of music, saw that I was going nuts and promptly joined in on my head banging. Soon enough I caught the familiar sight of Rudy's long red hair flailing about. I told him earlier not to mosh here as it was against the rules, and I could tell it was taking a lot out of him to not just go nuts. He was a bigger metal-head than me, that's for sure.

This delirium went on for quite some time, and after SUCCUBUS played through their set, I was tired as hell. It wasn't easy to rock out and shield your girlfriend at the same time. As the band members gave a bow, I sent Della two devil horns using my hands.

"FUCKING AWESOME!" I yell over the cheering crowd, not even sure if Della can hear me.

After giving her own hearty cheer, Ritsu turns around and plants a kiss on my lips. "That was awesome! Thanks for getting us so close!"

Aw shucks.

* * *

Our entire group managed to make it backstage after the concert, once Della pulled some strings. While everyone else was conversing energetically, Ritsu and I were pretty drained. Della could tell, as she was talking to us on the side.

"I still can't believe that I didn't recognize you, Ritsu!" Della laughs, still surprised at how different Ritsu looked with her hair down, and all made up. "I thought you scored with some random hot chick, Conrad!"

As Ritsu deflects more compliments from Della, I can't help but stifle out a long yawn.

"I rocked out too hard..." I say tiredly, stretching my arms.

"No kidding, you were really going crazy out there!" Della laughs yet again, taking another swig of her beer. I couldn't tell if I was being legitimately funny, or if Della was just drunk as hell.

"Well, my house is closer than yours, you want to stop by?" Ritsu says, shifting uncomfortably. "I wouldn't mind a rest myself. I need to get out of these boots!"

Yui overhears this, and pouts slightly. "But we were all going to go karaoke!"

Tanaka, who was standing next to her, nods alongside her. He had visibly relaxed around Yui. Maybe Tanaka had some confidence in him after all.

I shake my head, and Ritsu mirrors me. "Sorry but we're pooped." I say, before turning to Rudy, who was busy telling Mugi some sort of story of his. She was laughing quite loudly.

"Yo, Rudy! Do you know how to get back to my place by yourself?" I ask, trying to grab his attention.

He gives me a quick O.K signal, before returning to Mugi.

"Phone my cell if you need help!" I add, but to no avail. He was clearly too busy putting the moves on Mugi.

After sharing some hugs with her girlfriends, Ritsu gives us the okay to leave.

* * *

Sitting on the train home, Ritsu was almost nodding off. I kept poking her, so she wouldn't fall asleep. Each time, she would scold herself.

"Damnit... I can't fall asleep, I just can't..." she asserts sleepily.

I chuckle slightly, brushing some hairs out of her face. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Well, I thought we could... y'know... try again." She says, blushing.

My heart jumps a bit, and I smile playfully.

"Try _what again_?" I ask, poking her once again.

"Meanie! You know what I mean..." She says, shoving her red face into my shoulder.

I do. Oh boy, do I ever. I had a hunch the moment you invited me over! That wasn't what was bothering me at the moment. What was once a nagging feeling was now a blaring siren. Could I really go through with sex, even though I know I'm leaving Japan tomorrow night? I couldn't, right? At least not without telling her... Fuck. What a horrible way to end such a great night.

But I can't put it off any longer. If I can't tell her now, how do I expect to tell her during the festival? That'd be worse! The only other option would be to not say anything, and just leave. But there's a special place in hell reserved for cowards like that. No fucking way would I do that. So guess that's it. I'm going to tell her tonight. Hopefully I can find a moment where I can minimize the damage done. I only wish I had thought this through more. I have no idea how to even begin to bring this up, let alone actually tell her!

As we reached her stop, I poked her one last time, and let her know we had arrived.

As we walked down the street, Ritsu lets out a satisfied sigh.

"You're such a good guy, Conrad. I love you..." She starts, smiling gently at me. "Don't ever leave me."

Wow. So that's what having your heart ripped out feels like. I can't help but stop walking, as my heart sinks to rock bottom.

"What's wrong? Did that sound too creepy?" She laughs slightly. "My bad. I'm tired, so I'm a bit loopy right now."

...

...

One tear. Fuck. I feel it stream down my face, slowly, as if to draw out the shame as long as possible. This wasn't good; you let one slip by...

And there go the waterworks.

As I stood there in the middle of the road, crying my eyes out, Ritsu does nothing but stare blankly. I try to be silent, as I bury my head in my sleeve, but a few whines slip out.

"C-Conrad? What's wrong?" Ritsu asks, walking over towards me. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I... *sniff*... I'm leaving Japan tomorrow..." I force out between tears. "I'm leaving... *hic*... after the festival"

"W-what?" Ritsu asks, stopping in her tracks. "What do you mean?"

I take a moment to regain my composure. After wiping my eyes and taking a deep breath, I start again.

"I mean that I'm leaving Sakuragaoka, I'm going home..." I say, staring at the ground. "For good..."

Silence. I don't even have the courage to look her in eye now.

"How long have you known?" Ritsu replies slowly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I knew a week ago." I reply, simply.

"_What?_" She asks, voice heavy with confusion. "Why..."

I shake my head.

"Because I'm a fucking idiot, that's why. I delayed telling you as long as possible because I wanted our last week together to be fun." I explain, rubbing my eyes.

More silence.

"I know, I know. It doesn't make sense. Cause now everything's fucked up, and we have no time to fix it." I continue, shaking my head. "It's just... My Dad offered me the chance to go back home and... I took it."

Why isn't she saying anything?

"My grades here are shit, I have almost no friends... and I have to start thinking about my future." I fill the silence further. "I couldn't give up this chance..."

Goddamnit, why hasn't she said anything?

"Not even for you, Ritsu." I finish, finally looking at her. "As much as I wish I could."

Ritsu's face was pale, and I couldn't decipher at all what she was thinking.

"Look. I'm an idiot. I'm a stupid, self-centered, jerk who only cares about himself, alright?" I add, not sure what I was saying, nor for what reason. "You deserve someone better than me, and a girl as pretty and as awesome as you, it won't take long to find him."

Was this my pitiful way of trying to salvage the situation? This was my master plan? To act as cold as possible, and to beat myself up? What the hell am I doing?

"I want you to be happy! I really do! But... you're not going to be happy following me, because I'll only end up hurting you... I already have!" I stop for a second to catch my breath.

Another painful silence fills the air, as Ritsu's face barely changes. Sadness, anger, _disappointment_, I could read it on her face, as clear as day.

"Ritsu... I..."

"Go home, Conrad. I can't... I just don't want to talk to you right now." Ritsu finally says, her pained face staring at me deeply. "Please."

She turns to walk away, and I have to fight the urge to do something, anything. But all I can do is turn away myself.

A thousand apologies and plans of retribution swirl around my brain, but I know it's all futile. There was nothing left for me to say or do at this point. The rest was up to Ritsu, and I had no right to butt in any further. Even so, no matter what her decision, the result will still be the same: The relationship between us that we treasured so much, for so long, will never be the same. I've fucked up plenty enough to assure that.

* * *

_Welp, that's the end of the chapter. A downer, yes, but a necessary plot continuation nonetheless. Poor Conrad, a decision like that is never easy. And would you look at that! It was Chapter 13! What lucky... erm... unlucky timing._

_Make sure to leave a review, if you have any comments or criticisms. In fact, if you have anything to say to Conrad, any advice or even insults, go ahead add it to the review. I'd love to know what you guys think of his predicament._

_See you later space cowboy! _


	14. Last Day, Last Chance

ALRIGHT GUYS. IT'S 4 AM IN THE MORNING, I'M RUNNING ON CAFFEINE AND I DON'T KNOW WHATS HAPPENING BUT HERE YOU GO IT'S A CHAPTER. I HOPE YA'LL LIKE IT.  
NEW STORY, CONRAD, RITSU, FORHEAD GIRL, BLABLABLA.

* * *

FERGUSON HOUSEHOLD - [24 HOURS REMAINING]

"Conrad!"

My eyes snap open, pulling my conscious away from whatever dream I was in. Was I even dreaming? I can't remember shit...

Hovering over my sprawled out body was Dad, and he didn't look exactly happy. I haul my body upwards: a harrowing task when your body feels like concrete. I was stiff and sore, and a glaring headache soon made its presence abundantly clear. What the hell happened last night?

"Y'know Conrad, I just finished cooking a big breakfast for you and Rudy, seeing as you're leaving tomorrow..." Dad begins, clearly annoyed.

"...But when I come up here and see you sleeping on the floor, next what looks like a dozen empty beers and a bottle of sake..." He continues, before taking a pause and rubbing his temples.

Looking around me, he was (unfortunately) right. Beer cans were scattered all over my room. To call it a mess would be a gross understatement. Rudy was a few feet away from me, still sleeping.

"I START TO WONDER WHAT THE HELL SORT OF SON I RAISED!" He blurts out suddenly.

Rudy sits up abruptly, awakened from Dad's outburst.

"What the fuck..." Rudy drawls out, still clearly hungover.

My Dad takes a long breath, before starting again.

"I know this is your last day in Japan... but Jesus, Conrad. Even celebration has its limits!" He finishes, now much calmer. "Breakfast is ready, clean up this goddamn mess and come downstairs."

As my Dad stomps away, Rudy and I are left to wallow in a swamp of uncomfortable silence.

What exactly is going on? The last thing I remember was...

My heart sinks, remembering exactly what I revealed to Ritsu last night. I suddenly feel like running off to apologize to her, but then again, it's not like there's anything I can do at this point. I just had to hope that Ritsu hasn't taken this too badly. It's fine if I'm left in the shitter because of my mistakes, but I don't think I could live with myself if my stupidity ruins her school festival.

I could remember that much, but... everything after returning home is a complete blur...

"Dude... what the fuck did we do last night?" I turn slowly to Rudy, shaking my head.

Rudy looks at me bewilderedly, before extending a hand for a high-five.

"You don't remember? Duuuuuude!" Rudy smiles.

"But... I...?" I look around the room confused.

Shrugging, I complete the high five.

* * *

After a horribly awkward breakfast, Rudy and I left for Sakuragaoka. I had him start filling me in on last night's events, but only after we were out the door and out of earshot of my Dad.

"So let me get this straight..." I begin, trying to piece together what Rudy had told me; not exactly the easiest of task when you're tired and hungover.

"You came back to my place after karaoke, and I was_ already_ drunk?" I ask, confused as all hell.

Rudy laughs, but is forced to stop when my fist collides with his forearm.

"Yeah. You were talking about that Ritsu chick, and started handing me beers." Rudy explains, rubbing his arm in pain.

I shake my head.

"What was I saying?"

"Hell if I know dude. Like I said, you were already pretty drunk..." Rudy doesn't skip a beat in responding.

"And this didn't seem weird to you?" I plead, wanting to make sense of all this.

"Why would it? You always want to get wasted whenever you have girl trouble..." Rudy replies defensively.

I feel my face heat up in embarrassment. He was right, a shining example of my less-than-healthy habits.

"Well, usually I'm able to remember things afterwards..." I add, honestly. "But everything after Ritsu is complete blank!"

Rudy chuckles lightly.

"Yeah, well... you DID break up with the first girlfriend you've ever managed to trick into dating you." He taunts me, grinning. "Makes sense that you'd go overboard"

I punch him in the arm again.

"What?! All I'm saying is that this was one helluva dose of 'girl trouble'." He shouts, raising his hands, as if to surrender. "So we had one helluva party!"

"Rudy, I... I didn't break up with her. We're just figuring things out." I argue, crossing my arms.

Rudy sighs, before patting my on the back.

"You keep saying that, man. But most guys who are 'just figuring things out' don't drown themselves in booze." He adds, sending me a look of pity.

As much as I'd like to disagree, Rudy was making sense. Ending off a relationship on a note like I did last night doesn't exactly forecast a happy ending for Ritsu and I. I'm just so angry with myself right now; if only I had concentrated more on school, I might've been able to stay at Sakuragaoka, and then...

Ah screw it. It's too late to think about this shit now. The most I can do is get to school and try my best to fix things with Ritsu. Even if it's just as friends, I don't want to leave Japan losing one of the coolest girls I've ever met.

"Hey Rudy." I break the silence.

"Yeah?"

"I didn't drink THAT much... did I?" I ask, embarrassed.

"Let's just say you made me proud, Conrad." Rudy laughs.

Shit.

* * *

Arriving at school, I was at the receiving end of a lot of staring from my schoolmates. Well, more than usual at least.

I looked weird enough, hungover and depressed looking foreigner; but it didn't exactly help that I had my red-haired buddy following me sans school uniform. A few teachers stopped us in the halls, since guests weren't allowed inside the school yet. I, alongside Sawako-sensei, managed to convince them that my sudden departure was enough reason to make an exception, alongside the fact that Rudy had already volunteered to help the Keionbu move equipment.

As we made our way to the clubroom, taking a few breaks for Rudy to "talk" to some female students, I started to become a little more nervous. When we reached the staircase to the clubroom, I couldn't help but feel a strong hesitation weigh my feet down. Sure, I knew WHY I had to confront Ritsu, but I haven't even begun to consider the HOW; I was too caught up in my own inadequacies, as usual...

"I really hope Ritsu isn't in the clubroom right now, I don't know what the hell I'm going to say to her." I confess, stopping at the base of the staircase.

Rudy lets out a big sigh, turning to face me.

"Don't chicken out now! You were so confident on the way here." He comforts me, motioning me to follow him up the stairs. "Now go up there and fix this! I don't want to have to hear you bitch on the way home, too."

"Yeah, yeah. Just promise not to tell everyone back home when I bomb horribly in front of her." I reply, scratching my head in frustration.

"Glad to see the confidence, Conrad" He remarks sarcastically.

Rudy grabs my arm and practically drags me up the stairs. My heart beats faster as we reach the doors. Here goes nothing...

"Introducing... the amazing and sexy bad-boy bassist... CONRAD FERGUSON!" Rudy yells out as he swings the doors open.

"Wait WHAT?!" I yell in response. Rudy gives a light push, sending me to awkwardly stumble into the room. This wasn't exactly the entrance I'd imagined.

To my (thankful) surprise, Ritsu was nowhere to be found. Mio and Mugi were the only ones in the clubroom. Needless to say, the two girls were taken aback by Rudy's grandiose introduction, but it soon turned to giggling as Mugi made fun of my flushing face.

"What's Rudy-san doing here? I thought the school hadn't opened its doors to guests yet." Mio asks, walking over to us.

"Rudy... san?" Rudy forces out, his name being the only thing he can decipher from the Japanese.

"Sawako-sensei got us permission. I figured you guys could use the extra muscle." I say pointing to Rudy, who was looking a little agitated. He probably thought I was talking shit about him.

"Ah, I see! That'd be great; we were actually just about to move the equipment. Yukio was complaining that it was too much work!" Mio laughs slightly.

As if to prove her point, the door to the Keionbu swings open again. Yukio walks through, looking quite ragged.

"Conrad! For once I'm glad to see you! I'm not built for this type of labour..." He complains, walking over to the bench. He flops on the wooden furniture dramatically, letting out a big sigh.

For a second there, I thought Ritsu was the one barging in. Despite Yukio's usual obnoxious behavior, I too was unusually glad to see his face.

"You two wouldn't mind carrying the heavier stuff to the gymnasium, would you?" Mio puts her hands together, her face full of apology.

"Like usual, eh?" I sigh deeply, but still keep a smile on my face. It's nice to see I'm still useful, at least.

Mio laughs nervously, and bows slightly, still keeping her hands together. "Please~?"

"Alright, alright..." I respond, walking over to the amps. I was already ready to accept, but Mio's usual moe power made me all the more eager to help out.

Mugi walks over to Rudy with a tray, offering him some sweets.

"We'll make sure to recruit some more boys next year, so you're not stuck with all the work!" Mugi giggles, as Rudy take a couple of the small cakes. He fails to give one to me, opting instead to stuff them both in his mouth at Mugi's amusement.

Next year? Sheesh. I guess It was about time I got these two up to speed on my situation.

"Yeah... about that. I know this is a bit sudden and all, but there won't BE a next year for me." I explain nervously. "I'm sort of... leaving tomorrow morning for Canada."

The room suddenly goes dead silent, much to my unease. Mio and Mugi look at each other, than at me, still failing to produce words. Rudy coughs awkwardly, before inching towards me.

"Did... did you just tell them?" He asks innocently, unsure why everyone suddenly shut up.

"That..." Mio starts before fidgeting a bit. "That actually explains quite a lot. Mugi-chan and I were just wondering why Ritsu was acting so weird this morning."

"She seemed like she was really upset, but she wouldn't tell us why!" Mugi nods, looking quite taken aback. It was an odd expression for her to wear, given her usual cutesy and polite behavior. "...I guess we know now."

Well at least they were taking it fairly calmly. Whether this was out of shock or simply not caring was beyond my comprehension.

"I told her last night, when we got to her house." I add, cringing a bit. "Wasn't exactly the best timing."

"Why so suddenly?" Mio asks.

"Uh... well, I knew about it for a week or so. I kept putting it off though; I didn't really know how to tell her." I explain, embarrassed. What lackluster reasoning...

"In fact, I'm kind of hoping to avoid her right now..."

Before Mio responds, our conversation is cut off by the sudden movement of Yukio off of the clubroom bench.

Yukio starts walking towards me, his steps heavy and resolute. If someone as androgynous as him could come across as intimidating, this would be it.

Suddenly and without warning, Yukio punches me across the face. He really put his weight into it; I stumbled backwards and knocked against the clubroom door.

"Yukio, what are you doing?!" Mio shrieks.

"What kind of man are you?!" Yukio yells, grabbing my uniform by the collar. "You go through all this effort, months and months of bickering and feuding with me. After all that, you come out on top, and you pull this bullshit?!"

Rudy, frozen for a moment at the sudden outburst, appears to come to his senses.

"I don't know what the fuck you're saying, but you can't just punch somebody like that!" He shoves Yukio off of me. "You need to calm down, asshole!"

"FUCK YOU!" Yukio yells, in English. "You don't know anything about this... about him!"

The idol looked like he was fighting back tears. Mio and Mugi were frozen in place, clearly not keen in getting involved. Yukio was really pissed off, my face stung horribly just from that one punch. This was way different then his usual taunting and insults; something must really be eating him inside...

Whatever it was, though, it wasn't something you needed to shout to the heavens like this.

"Rudy! It's okay, dude." I say, patting him on the back. "Me and Yukio need to talk this out. Alone."

Yukio's clenched fists seem to relent slightly. Letting out a big sigh, he nods. "Fine."

It takes a moment for the others to get the message.

"Rudy, Mio! Let's move some equipment, shall we?" Mugi spouts out robotically in english, so Rudy understands. No one had yet come to terms with what just happened, but the trio still complies, each taking some of the club's equipment in their arms. Rudy gives me a parting fist bump, while Yukio receives a... less than polite gesture.

* * *

Even after the others left the club, neither I nor Yukio said anything for a while. The air was thick with anger, and It wasn't coming from me, even with my left cheek swelling up from Yukio's earlier attack.

"Look, before I even say anything... I just want your side of the story." I start honestly, breaking the silence. "I think have an idea, but I want to know what's got you so pissed!"

Yukio looks at me in the eye, before turning his gaze to his fist, which he was rubbing as well.

"And, uh... sorry about your hand. Ritsu always said I was hard-headed." I laugh slightly, but quickly shut up as Yukio fails to join me. I guess now wasn't the time for jokes.

"Where do I even begin?" Yukio replies, sighing.

"Christ, I'm really gonna get chewed out, aren't I?" I sigh myself, leaning against the wall.

"Not really. Conrad... I know that it might've seemed weird when I set my sights on Ritsu so openly." Yukio begins, walking over to the window, shoving his hands in his pockets. "It was pretty clear when I showed up at this school, that you had a crush on her, so I know you weren't too happy."

Was I really that obvious with my affections? Ah, who am I kidding? I'm the fucking king of social ineptitude. What was more surprising, though, was Yukio's seriousness.

"I had girls fawning over me the moment I walked into our class. Since we had a less than... friendly introduction, the fact that I happened to choose Ritsu probably came across as malicious." Yukio continues, turning to face me. "But trust me. I fell for her just as hard as you did."

I'd like to interject here, but I promised to get his side first. I mean, no offense to Ritsu, but she didn't exactly stick out. What could've made Yukio so drawn to her?

"While it's true I had a lot of choices, Ritsu was different. The first time we spoke in the clubroom, she openly told me how much she hated my music. She even joked about my girlish looks." Yukio says, chuckling a bit.

"Colour me confused. You liked Ritsu because she... made fun of you?" I ask, scratching my head. Granted, my reasons weren't that less strange; I was just taken aback by her forehead...

"Pretty much." He replies simply.

An awkward silence begins between us.

"...Are you gonna elaborate? Do you get off on humiliation or something?" I smirk.

"Goddammit Conrad, No!" Yukio groans. "It's just... do you know why I came to this run-of-the-mill school?" Yukio asks face slightly red.

I dig through my memory banks. The voices of starstruck women fill my brain.

"You wanted a break from the celebrity life, right?" I answer, remembering his first day.

"Exactly. And who do you think was the only girl that I met here that didn't give a shit about me or my past?" He asks yet again, trying to work me through his mindset. "Who do you think made me feel like a regular, stupid, teenage boy?"

"Oh..." I respond simply. That... actually makes sense. Ritsu never was one for popular culture; she liked The Who for god's sake. Not exactly the mainstream schoolgirl.

"I thought it would be easy; getting her to date me, I mean. In my arrogance, though, I let you get close to her. I didn't think in a _million years _that she would choose you over me." Yukio continues, shaking his head. "But for whatever reason, she decided on you."

Yet again I feel like interjecting, to defend myself, but I decide against it. Yukio was opening up to me like never before, and I was starting to understand him for once.

"After you two got together, I was shocked. I didn't want to give up on Ritsu, but coming to the clubroom every day and seeing her smile so genuinely at you... I didn't want to take that away from her." Yukio adds, giving me a solemn look. "It took me some time, and it hurt... but I accepted that you won, Conrad."

My heart sinks. The impossible seemed to be coming true. For once, I felt bad for Yukio.

"Shit, man. And after all that, I come into the clubroom and made a joke of all of your efforts." I reply sheepishly. "Now this punch doesn't seem so unwarranted... I'm sorry, man."

Yukio gives me a slight smile. It was nice to see him calm down. "It's alright. It's not like I'm without blame, either."

You bet your ass you aren't... Ah well, this wasn't the time.

"It seems like we got too caught up in our fighting, and never even bothered to even talk about it." I admit, shrugging. "...Not that it matters; I'm heading back home. I guess you win in the end, eh Yukio?"

Yukio looks like he wants to punch me again, but he takes a deep breath first.

"Don't even pull that bullshit, Conrad. I won't let you take pity on me. You're going to man up, and go fix things with Ritsu!"

"But I-" I say, wanting to lament my lack of time.

"Don't tell me that after all this, you're going to be a coward." Yukio says; now back to wearing his typical smirk.

I want to respond, but all I can do is smile. The last thing I was expecting was a pep-talk from my arch-nemesis.

"If I'm going to take Ritsu from you, it's going to be fair and square!" He says playfully, walking right in front of me. "If you think otherwise, I've got another punch waiting."

"Yukio, I..." I start, wanting to thank him.

"Just go to her, you dumbass!" Yukio yells, pushing me out the clubroom.

As I stumble out the doorway, a new sense of direction and purpose takes hold in me. Yukio was right, Rudy was right; now isn't the time to give up. And I sure as hell wasn't about to let it end like this.

* * *

In my suddenly active search for Ritsu, I decide to head for her classroom first. My confidence was finally starting to come back, and I wanted to strike while the iron was hot. At this point, it really wasn't about _what _I was going to say, but rather that I say anything at all. If I missed this oppurtunity, I'm not sure if I'll be able to forgive myself.

Peeking my head into the open door of the classroom, I see none of the Keion members anywhere. Some of the students give me weird looks, as I neglect to say anything, simply staring at the various groups of girls that dotted the classroom.

If she isn't here, then maybe the gymnasium? At least Mio and Mugi let me know that they saw her this morning. If not for that, I might start to think that Ritsu was avoiding school entirely!

...As if. There's no way she would get that worked up over somebody like me? Right?

Too caught up in my own internal dialogue, I fail to notice a girl's small figure as I turn the corner. I barely manage to avoid her, twisting my body awkwardly to the side. The girl's piercing shriek makes me stop a moment before continuing on my way. That sounded familiar...

Turning around, I see Azusa clutching her heart, her eyes wide open. Colorful flyers laid all over the hallway floor.

"Jeez, Conrad! How many times are we going to do this before you learn to watch where you're going!" Azusa shouts, fed up with my lack of mental presence.

I chuckle nervously, helping her pick up the scattered paper. Looking at the flyers, I see that she was spreading the word about the Keion's live. Not a bad tactic, despite Yui's questionable drawings causing the flyers to seem a little childish.

"If I remember correctly, Azusa-san, YOU were the one who ran into me first, with a_ bike _of all things!" I tease her, handing her the flyers I managed to gather.

"That may be true but..." Azusa rebuts, embarrassed. As if remembering something, her eyes suddenly focus on me. "Hey! I was looking for you! What's all this about you leaving Sakuragaoka?! And why are you so happy? Ritsu's been super sad ever since-"

Azusa looks like she was about to go off on one of her rants, but I certainly didn't have the time for it. For a girl who was supposed to be my underclassmen, she sure liked to lecture me a lot. I place my hand over her flapping mouth, causing her to squeak in surprise.

"Azusa, I'm sure you'd really like to explain to me how much I fucked things up with Ritsu, but Yukio beat you to it! I know what I have to do, all I need to know is where Ritsu is!" I tell the girl quickly, trying to be appear as understanding as possible, despite me forcefully shutting her up.

Azusa swats my hand away, and pouts at my indiscretion. She looks like she wants to keep going but instead extends her hand, pointing out the window.

"She's with the other girls, in the courtyard." Azusa says, giving me a death glare. "We were trying our best to make her feel better, because SOMEBODY decided that he would be_ all mysterious_ and wait until the last minute to tell us-"

I place my finger on her lips, yet again forcing her to stop ranting. She blushes slightly, probably tired of me treating her like this.

"I know, I know. But I have things to do right now. I promise you can chew me out all you want later, but I have to go!" I say, running down the hallways. Which way was quickest to the courtyard?

"Jeez!" I hear Azusa call from down the hallway. "You better not screw this up, Conrad!"

I'm not making any promises...

* * *

Clinging desperately to the stone wall of the school, I take one last peek around the corner and into the courtyard.

There was Ritsu. Oh god, it was Ritsu. Oh god. The girls of the Keion, minus Azusa, flanked her sides as they all sat together. Ritsu looked pretty agitated, making me even more nervous then I already was. Then again, it could be just because the girls were practically suffocating her with attention right now.

My legs, despite my best mental efforts, fail to take the final steps into the lush yard that I barely knew about, let alone visited. Slapping my legs as if to wake them up, I finally start to make some progress into the courtyard.

Turning the corner, I can't help but to focus all of my attention on the flowers rather than this beautiful girl I was about to talk to. If I'm having this much trouble even facing her, how the hell was I going to fix this mess?

At last I look towards the girls, who have all noticed my presence by now.

Emitting a forced cough, I smile sheepishly at the girl of my dreams. Her eyes dart away, causing me to cringe slightly. Was I already doomed?

"Alright you guys, you can stop smothering me now." Ritsu says, standing up from the bench. "It looks like my _knight in shining armor _is here."

She rolls her eyes, before landing them on me expectantly.

Sarcasm? Well, at least she still has some humor in her. I walk closer to her, and give her a slight nod, as if trying to relay something I couldn't put into words.

"C'mon, Ritsu. Don't be like that..." Mio says, trying to help me out.

"No, she's right. This won't be pretty; you girl's betters get going." I say, finding some comfort in Ritsu's playful jab.

The three girls slowly but surely make their way out of the courtyard, although it's easy to see that they wanted to listen in quite badly.

With their departure, Ritsu lets out a big sigh. She approaches me, and grabs my face with her hands. I tense up; for all I know she was about to snap my neck! Turning my face to the side, she instead takes a gander at the growing bruise on my face.

"Mio told me what Yukio did. Looks like she wasn't exaggerating." Ritsu says, a melancholy tone never failing to accompany her words. "I guess I won't have to punch you myself."

I chuckle if only for a moment, before motioning for us to sit on the bench that the girls previously occupied. Ritsus eyes reply with hesitation, but she eventually plants her butt next to mine.

"I'm glad to see you. I was worried you might skip school or something..." I admit, giving her a half-hearted glance,

"What, and miss the festival that we've worked on for _months_?" Ritsu scoffs. "What happened last night may have sucked, but I'm not some prissy girl who gets worked up over a stupid boy."

Ouch. Okay, fair enough.

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm just glad you're okay, is all." I start, but I fail to produce any reaction from her. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm a guy who gets _really _worked up over pretty girls."

Ritsu looks at me annoyed, clearly not satisfied with mere compliments.

"Worked up enough to get blackout drunk and not remember a thing, even." I laugh, reclining back into the bench.

Ritsu raises an eyebrow at my revelation. "Are you serious, you got drunk _again_? Are you some sort of alcoholic?"

For all I know I could be... I can't help but shudder at that thought, before turning back to more important matters.

"Well let's just say I wasn't expecting good things to happen after last night's fiasco. The only thing I wanted to do was forget about how much of a dumbass I was." I appeal to her, shaking my head heavily. "Alcohol tends to be good for that."

She fails to find that funny, although I'm not too surprised. I shift uncomfortably, trying to search for something to say, but our conversation falls silent.

"Well, unless you're about to tell me that you're staying here after all, I don't think there's much to say at this point, is there?" She says, getting up from the bench. "The performance is in less than an hour, and I want to get ready..."

I grab her hand quickly, before gently pulling myself up to her level. If this was it... and she was ready to leave it at that... there not much left for me to lose at this point, is there?

"That's where you're wrong, Ritsu. I may not be staying here, and I've definitely screwed up enough to end our relationship, but I have PLENTY to say to you, trust me." I say honestly, staring intently into her eyes.

She tries to wrestle away from my grip half-heartedly. "C'mon, Conrad. Let go..."

"No." I say decisively, causing her to flinch. "I don't care if you hate me, but the last thing I'm about to do is let you walk away. At least not until I say what has to be said."

Ritsu turns to me, adjusting her arm so that my tight grip was around her hand. Squeezing my hand tightly, she looks down at the ground. "I don't hate you..."

"I know you don't. I think we both know how much we care for one another. It was stupid of me to not tell you about me having to leave; I wasn't thinking straight... I think deep down, I just wanted to stay blissfully ignorant and pretend that I had all the time in the world to spend with you." I explain, as our fingers intertwined.

"But we don't, Conrad. We have tonight, that's it. And I'm not going to sacrifice my school festival over your mistakes..." She says, loosening her grip on my hand.

"That's fine." I say, smiling. "I'm not looking for your forgiveness, or for you to drop everything just for me. I just... I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I want us to stay friends. Because you mean a hell of a lot more to me than just a girlfriend. You're the coolest, prettiest, funniest and most wonderful person I've ever met. When I go back home, I guarantee that not a single day will go by where I won't miss you. I'll... never forget you, Ritsu."

Although she doesn't respond, Ritsu seems to be taking in my words carefully.

"I don't care if everything is over... just please; let's not end it like this..." I add, squeezing her hand yet again. "We shouldn't spend this last day angry at each other."

Ritsu doesn't answer for a while. While she seems to think deeply, I can't help but tense up again, wanting desperately to know what was on her mind. Even the calming sounds of cicadas and songbirds wasn't helping me relax.

"Can I... show you something?" Ritsu asks suddenly, finally making eye contact with me. A sort of seriousness was radiating from her expression that I hadn't seen since the day we first kissed.

"Of course." I respond, simply.

Ritsu, tugging at my arm, starts to lead me away to god knows where.

* * *

"The clubroom?" I utter, confused at Ritsu's intentions. "What do you want to show me?"

"Just shut up for a second and I'll show you, you dork." Ritsu snaps back, although she seemed more anxious than angry.

Walking over to her bag, she starts to rummage through the contents.

"I... I was feeling pretty desperate last night. I wanted to find a way to fix things." Ritsu explains, as she pulls out a folded piece of paper. "So I ended up making this."

She stares at the paper for a while, as if to have second thoughts. Eventually she walks over to me, and hands me the neatly folded paper.

"I wasn't going to give you this, because I thought it was a stupid idea." She admits, sitting down at the tea table. Her face was already starting to turn red. "But if you... if you love me as much as you say you do... I want you to read it."

I go to speak, but she just points at the paper expectantly, before turning away.

"Just don't take it too seriously, okay?!" She adds, clearly insecure about its contents.

Looking down, I start to read the paper...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**_RITSU'S LOVE CONTRACT_**

**IN SIGNING THIS CONTRACT, THE SIGNATORY AGREES TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:**

**A. WHILE GONE, THE SIGNATORY MUST NOT BECOME INVOLVED ROMANTICALLY WITH ANY GIRLS.**  
**B. IF HE MUST, THE SIGNATORY WILL ONLY THINK PERVERTED THOUGHTS ABOUT RITSU.**  
**C. THE SIGNATORY WILL SEND RITSU MAIL AND PRESENTS REGULARLY  
D. THE SIGNATORY WILL WORK ON NOT BEING SUCH A JERK/PERVERT**

**IN AGREEING TO THESE CONDITIONS, RITSU AGREES TO WAIT FOR THE SIGNATORY TO COME BACK TO JAPAN, AND xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**x_x_x_x_x_x SIGN HERE**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
As I finish reading the fairly short contract, I have to try really hard not to laugh. It seems Ritsu picks up on this, as she gets up, and stomps towards me.

"It's not funny! Give it back!" She shouts, trying to snatch the paper back from me. "I knew you'd think it was stupid..."

As I laugh, keeping the paper high above my head and out of her reach, I take a look at the paper in my hands above me.

"What's this part here that's all scribbled out? I can't read it. Are you trying to hide some fine print?" I laugh, squinting to see if I could make out what she wrote.

"Nooo! I-It's just something stupid that I got rid of!" She says frantically, standing on her tiptoes. "Forget about that, just give it to mee!"

"If you don't tell me I won't sign it!" I say, playfully dangling it just out of her reach.

Ritsu stops struggling, and starts to blush even deeper.

"Y-You'll sign it? Really?" She says, clearly taken aback. "I thought..."

I smile gently, as I finally give her the paper back. "Well, I'm not signing it until you tell me the full story." I point at the scribbled area again. "Come back to Japan and WHAT, exactly?"

"murmee.." She mumbles out, barely audible.

"What? I cant heeear you~" I say, cupping my ear dramatically.

"MARRY ME! I WROTE MARRY ME! BUT THAT'S STUPID AND UNREALISTIC AND CHILDISH AND..." She yells, eyes closed and clutching the paper to her chest, causing it to crumple. "GIVE ME A BREAK, I WAS REALLY SAD LAST NIGHT!'

Jesus Christ. I had enough trouble accepting the fact that this wonderful girl even _liked_ me, and now shes talking about **marriage**? A deep, warming sensation crawls over my body, as Ritsu seems to look anywhere but my eyes. She didn't actually think I'd make fun of her for this, did she?

"Do you have a pen on you?" I say, extending my hand out.

"Huh?"

"A p-pen! I want to sign it." I say, feeling my own face heat up in embarrassment. "Just don't blame me when I show up in a few years and you don't want to marry this ugly mug." I chuckle, tugging at the crumpled paper.

"C-Conrad..." Ritsu says, finally giving me a smile. "Really? Really?"

"Yes really!" I repeat, as she quickly goes to her bag to get a pen. "Childish or not... it doesn't change the fact that I love you. As soon as I'm done with my education, I'll come back and... if you still want me to, I'll marry you."

I grab the pen, and try my best not let my shaking hands screw up my writing.

Ritsu's smile starts to fail slightly, as I scribble my signature onto the dotted line. "This... seems too easy, doesn't it? Are we really going to be able to do this? We could be apart for a long time."

"My parents still live here... I can't guarantee anything, but I swear, I'll visit when I can." I say, handing her the signed contract. "We can make this work if we try."

Ritsu gives me a smile, before hugging me. "I sure hope so, Conrad..."

Ritsu was hugging me so tightly, I could barely breathe. As she reaches up to kiss me, I comply and lower my own head. I can't describe the feeling of relief I was feeling right now. I pick her up, and her feet slowly but surely leave the floor as I intensify the kiss. She squeals in surprise as I twirl around gently, causing her skirt to flap gently as we turn in place. My arms don't seem to tire, as I don't want this moment to end.

After locking lips for a while, I lower her back to the floor and she buries her face in my chest, letting out a long sigh. "I'm so glad..."

*AHEM*

Both of us instantly separate, as a sharp cough draws our attention to the door. Standing there was a grinning Ms. Sawako, as well as a few strangers.

"I know you two must be really happy right now, but there's a festival going on. I'd appreciate if you refrained from showing our guests anything indecent" She smiles, shaking her head. "Now if you wouldn't mind, I'd like for you two to follow me. We have a little thing called the festival live tonight, right?!"

The two of us nervously laugh. I look at the clock on the wall. It seems both of us were so caught up in our romance that we forgot about the festival live. We had a little under 5 minutes to get back in time for the live...

Whoops.

* * *

_So... yeah... I really hope that was worth the wait. I was originally going to make only one more chapter before Conrad leaves, but turns out I wrote a little more than I thought, so I'm going to turn Conrad and Ritsu's last night together into a final, separate chapter. You can use your own imagination on that one :)._

_I'm also thinking about writing an extra chapter, as a sort of epilogue to wrap things up._

_But as I said so tactlessly in the intro, its 4 am in the morning, and I'm really fucking tired. So PLEASE, leave a review and let me know if there are places I can touch this up! I hope I didn't disappoint anyone, given the amount of time I took to write it. College can be a pretty stressful lifestyle, and Conrad sometimes has to wait his turn!_

_PEACE OUT, YOU BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!_


	15. A Sensual Sendoff

**Homsar955: Thanks! I'm glad you stuck around!**

**TheHatchet27: Thanks a bunch. Hopefully this chapter will come across as much less elusive and/or mythical. Enjoy.**

**ExiledDoomslayer: It's always awesome to get feedback, and you sure as hell provided a lot! Thanks, and I hope you stick around!**

**InuYashaOuranKyoFan: Thanks for checking out the story, and being in sync with my weirdass sense of humor :P.**

**Well howdy there, curious reader. I've finally gotten around to writing again, and now I'm pleased to present another chapter of _The Forehead Girl_. I'm proud I didn't take an eternity writing this one; do I get a cookie? Please?**

**My tardiness aside, I hope you all enjoy it, and please share any thoughts and criticisms in the review section. I always appreciate it!**

* * *

"KANPAI!"

The clubroom erupts with chatter as we cling our glasses together. Glasses filled with juice, of course; School rules and all...

The live was over, leaving me with a bitter taste in my mouth. I was so nervous, I can barely remember much at all; It all seems like a fleeting memory from years ago.

After a long and awesome set by Hokago Tea Time, Yukio and I were hurried on stage, barely enough time left after the girls gave an encore. We only had time to play a single song, and at the fear of the female masses mobbing me, we decided to go with Yukio's sickly-sweet pop song. I was understandably unenthusiastic, Yukio broke a string near the end of the song, cutting us short. The fact that I followed this awkward ending with an impromptu (and mediocre) bass solo... our performance was a goddamn disaster. The only reason we got any applause at the end was no doubt due to Yukio's popularity, as frantic squealing from the female students overpowered any other noise in the auditorium.

Oh well, at least I got to be on stage once before I left. It may have been less than ideal, but I had to admit the feeling of being in front so many people really felt exhilerating, even to a shy guy like me.

Now, as I'm still getting over what the hell just happened, the entirety of the Keionbu (plus Rudy) was in the clubroom, celebrating the (partially) succesful live. Everone was talking loudly and frantically about what we were going to do tonight, as a last goodbye for me. I felt a little flattered at this. These past one and a half years in Japan have felt so much longer. I found the love of my life, won her over, I made a bunch of friends, and all the while got a hell of a lot better at bass.

Maybe, just maybe, something akin to pride was resonating within me? Have I changed?

"Conrad, what are you doing? Get your butt over here, we're going to take a group picture!" Ritsu yells over to me.

Snapping to attention, I suddenly realize that I was off in the corner of the room, reminiscing while staring blankly at a turtle in a fishtank. Even Rudy, the non-member, looked more involved...

Wow, so much for me changing... still smooth as ever, eh Conrad?

"Yeah yeah... I'm comin'." I respond lazily, walking over to my... girlfriend?

As I place myself next to Ritsu, Sawako sensei busily sets up the camera.

...was Ritsu my girlfriend anymore? Sure, I signed that contract... but how much does that really count for when I'm moving halfway across the globe? Were we just kidding ourselves that this was going to work out? I feel like punching myself for having these second thoughts, after I was so confident earlier. Caught up in euphoria, I guess.

"Is everyone ready?" Sawako calls to us.

"Huh?" Rudy asks, unsure as to why everyone kept forgetting he spoke no Japanese.

"She asked if we're ready for the picture!" Mugi tells him, smiling gently at him. Rudy 'oohs' in comprehension, smiling back at the pretty pianist.

I may have my own theories on Mugi's... gender preferences, but she's definitely shown Rudy a good time while he was here. Whether this was out of interest or politeness was still unknown to me. Didn't stop Rudy from being head over heels, though.

"I don't know, Sensei... those two don't really look like a proper couple..." Yui snickers, pointing at Ritsu and I.

She had a point. I was awkwardly standing next to Ritsu, with my arms lazily stuffed into my pockets; not exactly an affectionate stance.

"Aw, shaddup Yui." I respond, before inching closer to Ritsu. "This better?" I add dryly.

"Would it kill you to... put yer arm around me or something?" Ritsu mumbles, shifting closer to me herself.

"O-oh! Yeah, of course!" I answer quickly, wrapping my arm around her waist.

"Looks like you trained him well, Ritsu!" Yukio snickers at my obedient response.

Ritsu sighs. I guess even after all we went through, I'm still the same old awkward Conrad.

"Alright everyone, it's on a 10 second timer!" Sawako says, running over to the back of our group.

As the red light on the camera signaled the incoming picture, I can't help but feel a little empty. After this... after today... I'll have to leave everyone behind...

I can't help but clutch the love contract, currently sitting in my pocket.

"You really have a lot of faith in me, don't you?" I whisper to Ritsu between my smiling teeth.

As I continue to stare into the camera, I feel pained by the lack of immediate response.

But as the camera flashed, I felt the familiar touch of two soft lips on my cheek. And everything was suddenly alright.

* * *

"Hey Conrad... Helloooo..."

Rudy's ever familliar voice causes me to snap back into reality. Among all the noises of the plane; the clatter of moving passengers and stewardesses, the blaring voice of the pilot over the intercom... I was suprised I was capable of zoning out so much.

"Still looking at that picture, eh?" Rudy sighs, leaning back into his seat.

"Yeah."

Looking down at the Keionbu group photo in my hands, a pained smile crawls onto my face. Flipping it over, I glance at all the messages written across the blank reverse.

_**"Bring me back some sweets, kay?" - Yui Hirasawa**_

_**"All the best wishes." - Mio Akiyama**_

_**"Maybe we'll bump into each other again some time?" - Azusa Nakano**_

_**"Cheat on Ritsu, and I'll make you swallow a thousand needles." - Tsumugi Kotobuki**_

_**"I still have that second punch waiting, if you ever need it." - Yukio Hamada**_

_**"Come back soon, Yankee-san!" Tanaka Hayashi**_

"Which one's from your girl?" Rudy asks me, currently peeking over at the mosaic of messages.

"Uh... she had her own way of sending me off..." I reply, looking out the plane window in mild embarrassment.

"Oh ho ho! So you finally popped your cherry, huh?" Rudy responds slyly, nudging me in the side.

"And why, pray tell, does your mind jump to _that_ immediately?" I reply sternly, shaking my head.

"Because you were on cloud nine the moment you got back home." Rudy responds right away. "You two just happen to disappear from our group, within five minutes of each other... cmon; You'd have to be a fuckin' eunuch for me to not suspect some _hanky-panky"_

"Well..._ for your information_, It wasn't even on purpose. It just sort of... happened." I surrender, finally let slip the truth of last night; I had indeed lost my virginity.

"So it DID happen! Congratulations on losing the V-card, Conrad!" Rudy pats me on the back. "Was she good in bed? I bet she was, wasn't she!"

I smack him upside the head, frowning all the while.

"Shut your mouth. I'm not telling you a thing about last night!"

"Aw cmon man, don't be like that!" Rudy bemoans, leaning towards me. "I told you about_ my_ first time!"

"Oh, you mean when our French teacher committed statutory rape in grade 9?" I whisper to him. "How could I forget!"

"She was hot; sue me!" Rudy shrugs.

"She was also 30. AND breaking the law." I add, getting quite agitated with my friends laid-back attitude.

"The important thing is I _trusted _you with that information." Rudy puts the conversation back on track, much to my annoyance. "Why can't you do the same?"

I take a deep breath, before turning to him.

"...Fine." I say finally, before turning to the plane window, if only for dramatic effect. "It all started after we left Sakuragaoka..."

* * *

_"Beef bowl ~ Beef bowl~" Yui chants, as we walk down the sidewalk, god knows where in Tokyo._

_It was too dark outside for me to recognize the area; our little party dragged on a bit more than intended. We finally decided to leave the clubroom after Yukio told us he would treat us to some food. Yui's current incessant chanting makes sure that I never forget...  
_  
_As we neared to what I presume was the restaurant, given the delicious smells in the air, I suddenly come to a realization as I go to find my cellphone. _

_"Shit! My school-bag!" I shout, grasping at the air near my side, as if the object in question would somehow materialize._

_"Double shit! The contract!" I add, realizing I had placed it inside the bag alongside my blazer. I send Ritsu a worried glance._

_The others stop in place, giving me a strange look._

_"Contract?" Azusa asks, tilting her head in confusion. "What contract?"_

_"Nothing! It's just an inside joke! eheheh..." Ritsu butts in, frantically denying the existence of any lovey-dovey documents._

_"Y-yeah! You guys go on ahead. I'll just go back and grab my stuff." I add nervously, also keen on ignoring my sudden mention of the contract._

_"But we're almost there!" Yui says. "Don't you want a beef bowl?"_

_"Well, what do you want me to do?" I respond simply, before walking back the way we came. "It's not like I can go and get it tomorrow..."_

_Satisfied with my answer, the others slowly continue to walk towards the restaurant._

_As I pass Ritsu, I give her a small peck on the cheek._

_"Wait up for me, kay?" I smile, touching her shoulder lightly._

_"Alright..." Ritsu replies, clearly a bit put off. "Hurry up and come back."_

_"Hey, if you'll miss me that bad, maybe you should come with~" I wink to her jokingly, chuckling slightly. "We can have ourselves a party of our own!"_

_Before I have a chance to gauge her reaction, I start jogging in the direction of the school. Even though I'm not entirely sure where I'm going in these poorly lit streets, I can't help but keep grinning. Forget the bag, there's no way I'm losing that contract..._

* * *

"Is there, like, a **point **to all this?" Rudy interrupts me, deadpan look on his face. "Cause' there putting on an in-flight movie..."

"The story isn't half as good if you don't know the backstory!" I assert, sighing at my friends inpatience. "It's like... foreshadowing!"

"Well unless you're about to foreshadow a blowjob, I ain't interested." Rudy replies lazily, looking at the movie currently starting on the screens.

"Goddamnit, dude! Just listen!"

* * *

_After a short jog back to the school, I found myself in luck as the school wasn't closed yet; the festival meant that a lot of students were staying late cleaning up. I quickly made my trek to the clubroom so I could rejoin the others as soon as possible._

_..Which was the plan, until I had some trouble finding where exactly I put my bag. I soon found myself wasting precious time searching for my stuff._

_"Where in the goddamn fuck did i put it..." I ask aloud, looking around the empty clubroom._

_"Hello~!" A voice interrupts my lengthy search, causing me to yelp in suprise._

_"Holy shit, Ritsu!" I shout, turning around to see the aforementioned girl, leaning against the doorframe. "I didn't even hear any footsteps. Are you some kind of ninja?"_

_"We girls are stealthy creatures. Unlike you, mister potty-mouth." Ritsu laughs._

_In my frantic search for the bag, I never considered that swearing my head off in a school wasn't the best idea..._

_"Potty mouth? And here I thought you didn't know any English." I reply, still clutching my heart in surprise._

_"Just the swear words~" Ritsu sticks out her tongue playfully. "You made sure of that!"_

_"...Of course. I'm a horrible influence, ain't i?" I chuckle lightly, before walking over to her. "And what exactly are you doing here. Missy?"_

_"Oh cmon, don't play coy. I got the message, you perv." Ritsu winks at me._

_"Message?" I repeat, confused._

_"What, are you going to make me spell it out?" Ritsu adds, starting to get annoyed. "Typical Conrad..."_

_Ritsu closes the door to the clubroom, giggling._

_"There's still quite a few people out there..." She adds nervously. "We'll have to take some extra precautions..."_

_Ritsu motions me to pass her a chair, which she then proceeds to use to jam the door shut._

_"Uh... why are you..." I ask nervously, looking at my girlfriend... who was currently undoing the top buttons of her school uniform._

_WAIT WHAT._

_She does this playfully slow, and as much as I'd like to question her further, I was a bit mesmerized at the moment._

_"H-holy shit." I manage to squeak out, as she walks over, pressing her chest against me, restrained only by a bra._

_"I was surprised that you would want to do it here... I didn't take you for the exhibitionist type." She cooes at me._

_Yeah, and I didn't take you for the bondage type, either. But we both know how that worked out. _

_As witty i'd like to be right now, I remain silent in anticipation as she pushes me against the wall. Was this really happening? Am I hallucinating?_

_Wait. What the shit was going on? What did she mean, she 'got the message'..._

_Oh dear lord._

_**"If you'll miss me that bad, maybe you should come with!" I wink to her jokingly, chuckling slightly. "We can have ourselves a party of our own~!"**_

_That... was supposed to be a joke. I didn't actually think... oh god. She's got that same look in her eyes; the look she had at the hotel room, at MY room!  
_

_"W-wow, Ritsu. You're pretty aggressive when it comes to this, huh?" I chuckle nervously, ever conscious of the growing bulge in my pants; something she no doubt was aware of._

_"H-hey! YOU'RE the one who asked for it!" She replies nervously, as if suddenly remembering the situation we'd now put ourselves in._

_"I-I guess I did, didn't I?" I respond cautiously. I really have to work on my communication skills..._

_Ritsu reaches behind her back, and undoes her bra, then her skirt. Letting it all fall to the floor, I can't help but say the first thing that comes to mind:_

_"G-golly Gee w-willikers!" I sputter out, taken aback by the sight of Ritsu's shapely body in the dim lighting of the night._

_"I don't know what that means, but I assume it's good?" Ritsu snickers, as she presses her bare body against my comparatively clothed form._

_"Now your turn." She whispers to me. "Let me see your body."_

_I nod silently, as I frantically reach for my shirt buttons. I really, **really**, hope she's not expecting much. My body type was somewhere in between... unimpressive and disappointment. _

_As I start to take off my shirt, I suddenly come to remember what got me here in this situation first place; This would've happened already, were it not for..._

_"Shit." I say aloud, as i come to a realization. "I... I can't do this, Ritsu."_

* * *

"OH CMON, MAN!" Rudy shouts, causing the elderly couple in the seats next to us to flinch. "YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU HAD A NAKED GIRL IN FRONT YOU, AND YOU DIDN'T DO **ANYTHING**?"

That same elderly couple was now sending us glares...

"Will you quiet the hell down? I don't need the whole plane knowing about my sexual escapades, thank you very much!"

Rudy shakes his head around wildly, making some annoying groaning sounds all the while. "Do you even have a penis?"

"Well, maybe if you'd let me finish, then you'd know the answer to that question!" I reply angrily, just wanting to finish the story at this point.

"This better end up with sexy times..." He grunts, crossing his arms.

"Anyway..." I continue.

* * *

_"W-what? You can't say that now!" Ritsu replies, clearly at her wits end. "I'm standing here naked, for god's sake!"_

_"I'm about to leave for Canada! I can't just do this and leave! That's not fair to you!" I try to explain, trying to put on my best smile._

_"Goddammit, Conrad..." Ritsu says, rubbing her temples. "Then why the hell did you say all that stuff earlier?"_

_"Well I... didn't know I was being sexy, to be truthful..." I reply honestly, cringing a bit at her reaction; a mix of embarrassment and anger._

_"B-but! I-I... You..." Ritsu fails to formulate a coherent sentence. "A PARTY OF OUR OWN? YOU EVEN WINKED AT ME! YOU NEVER WINK AT ME..."_

_"S-sorry, Ritsu." I interject, as the girl leans against the wall in exasperation. "I guess it was just a miscommunication..."_

_"...So what." Ritsu replies simply. "That doesn't change the fact that you just rejected sex from your naked girlfriend!"_

_"What? I'-Im not rejecting you... I'm just really, really confused." I tell her honestly. "I thought we wouldn't do this until I got back..."_

_Ritsu doesn't respond, opting instead to lock eyes with me, her expression not exactly discernible in this poor lighting._

_"...I thought we were going to wait. Y'know, until the time was right." I add, trying to get my point across._

_"I'm standing here naked, practically throwing myself at you, and you're worried about when the** time is right**?" Ritsu asks me bewilderedly._

_"But Ritsu... this is a big step in our relationship! I really don't feel like we should do commit to this right when I'm about to leave..." I respond quietly, looking away from the agitated girl._

_"Just a few hours ago, you signed a contract preventing you from engaging in **any** romantic acts with **any **women for the next... god knows how long!"_

_"...and a potential marriage" I add, starting to see where she was going with this._

_"Exactly! And you expect me to believe you're worried about **commitment**?" She looks at me, clearly waiting for me to get on the same page._

_"...Touché." I respond simply._

_"And where was this weak-willed Conrad last week, when we came thiiis close to having sex in your room?" She continues. "Were you worried about all this THEN?"_

_"...Double touché."_

_"We've tried again, and again to find some alone time these past few weeks, **desperately **trying get in each others pants." Ritsu adds slowly, as if talking to a child._

_"And now that It's our last night together, and I'm standing here with my boobs in your face, YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME YOU **  
**CAN'T **DO IT?"  
**_

_I had to hand it to her. She knows how to push my buttons._

_Grabbing her suddenly, I lock lips with her hungrily. I pick her up, and carry her over to the clubroom's ever-familiar table. Placing her down on the tea-stained surface, I start to undress myself._

_"H-hold on, Conrad. We can't do it on this table, it's too weird!" Ritsu says to me nervously, lifting herself upright._

_Her face now extremely close to my own, I kiss her deeply again._

_"No... no this is good. Now every day at school, when you come to the clubroom, you're going to remember exactly what we did here!" I smile mischievously._

_Ritsu gives me a wide-eyed stared._

_"Holy crap, Conrad. Did I just unleash some sort of kinky beast from within you?" Ritsu giggles, as I place her back onto the table._

_"Yeah, I'm kinky alright... I'm gonna... I'm gonna do you so good!" I sputter out, failing utterly at dirty-talk._

_"PFFT-" Ritsu tries her best to stifle laughter, letting me know just how uncouth that was._

_Sighing, I can't help but facepalm._

_"I-I'm sorry, I'm not very good at this, am I?" I roll my eyes._

_Sighing, Ritsu wraps her legs around my waist, pulling our bodies together in a warm embrace. "Just come here, you dummy..."_

_"I... I don't have a condom." I announce suddenly, looking at Ritsu nervously._

_She faceplams, looking at me with a less than impressed expression._

_"REally? This is the ONE time you don't have a condom?" She says, laughing slightly._

_I want to reply, but the best I can do is a nervous smile._

_Giving me the most maddeningly seductive look, she pulls me in close. Close enough that I could feel her heart beating. _

_Smirking, she whsipers into my ear softly..._

_"Oh well; I'm sure we can think of something~"_

* * *

"And? ...AND?" Rudy practically shouts at me, currently at the edge of his seat.

"What do you mean? And... you know..." I say, no doubt blushing.

"NO, I DON'T KNOW! WHAT DID SHE MEAN 'THINK OF SOMETHING'? I NEED TO KNOW!" Rudy yells at me, yet again causing those around us to glance over in annoyance.

"That's for me to know and you to forget about, you damn lecher." I finish, looking away.

"You can't just end it there! It was just getting good, too!" Rudy whines, slamming his head against the seat in front of him.

"Well what do you want from me, a fuckin' screenplay of a porno?" I ask, slouching into my seat tiredly.

"YES! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT!" Rudy says, grabbing my shoulder. "TELL ME WHAT SHE DID!"

"Um, excuse me, young man?" A stewardess suddenly enters the scene, looking quite annoyed. "We've gotten some noise complaints. Could you quiet down, please?"

Uh... yeah, of course!" Rudy grins widely at the cute stewardess. "Just call me Mr. strong silent-type!"

"Yes, for god's sake, call him that." I interject, glancing lazily out the window. "Maybe he'll shut up for once."

As the stewardess walks away, Rudy leans over to me.

"Just so you know, If you're not gonna tell me the rest of the story, I might feel inclined to make the ending up." Rudy whispers, now thankfully aware that a plane is not a place for shouting contests.

"Whatever floats your boat, dude." I reply simply.

"We'll see who's boat is floating when I tell all the guys back home you came in your pants..." Rudy smiles mischievously at me.

"They already have pictures of me in a maid outfit, I could care less what they know at this point..." I reply coldly, closing my eyes, as if to signal the end of our 'story time'.

"Oh, right..." Rudy recalls, before launching into a fit of laughter at my expense.

...This was going to be a long plane ride, wasn't it?

Rudy reclines into his seat, stifling a yawn. He looks over at me, but seems to be stuck on a thought.

"You gonna be okay?" Rudy asks suddenly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I respond quietly. "Just a little sad it's all over, I guess."

"Then why didn't ya let anyone know when our flight was?" My red-haired friend investigates. "You could have gotten a proper send-off."

I laugh slightly, trying to imagine how exactly that would've went.

"I'm not really one for sappy goodbyes." I say to him.

"Not even from your girlfriend?" Rudy prods, clearly not understanding my mindset.

"We already got that over with last night." I answer nonchalantly. "It was actually pretty romantic..."

"You're not going to tell another story are you?" Rudy complains, poking me in the side.

"Well if you insist!" I poke him back jokingly.

"Trust me, I dont..." He replies, shifting away from me.

"Too bad~"

* * *

_"I can't believe we actually did that in the clubroom..." Ritsu announces awkwardly, breaking the long silence that had formed between us._

_Walking a girl home after something so sudden and embarrassing, didn't exactly breed conversation. We were opting instead to walk together silently, hand-in-hand, but I guess we couldn't just ignore tonight's happenings forever._

_"Y-yeah." I reply simply. "That wasn't exactly where I'd imagined my first time would be."_

_I was just a tad more in shock that I was letting on, being practically on cloud-nine at this point, but I was doing a decent job of keeping my poker-face on. Even though Ritsu and I are usually pretty comfortable around each other, we clearly both had a lot on our minds._

_"I'm not crap at sex, am I?" I ask suddenly, catching my girlfriend off guard._

_"How would I know, dummy? That was my f-first time too!" Ritsu grumbles, squeezing my hand. "If anything, it just hurt..."_

_"S-sorry..." I reply, hanging my head. "I probably should have been more gentle..."_

_Ritsu stops walking, and tugs me gently towards her. Complying, I shuffle over, giving her a no-doubt broken smile. Getting on her tiptoes, she plants a kiss on my forehead; an odd sensation to be on the receiving end._

_"You did fine, Conrad." She assures me, before giving me a hug. _

_"I guess we'll have plenty of time to get better once I get back, huh?" I ask carefully, giving her a playful grin._

_"You're hopeless..." Ritsu replies, rolling her eyes. Separating from our embrace, she continues to walk, pulling me along. _

_Another silence starts to form, as we reach the front gate of her house._

_"Will I be able to see you tomorrow?" She asks, her hazel eyes giving me a hopeful stare. _

_"eh... It's pretty late." I sigh. "Part of me doesn't' want our last time together to be when I'm tired, grumpy, and messy."_

_"I don't care about that, Conrad." She replies, giggling a bit. "Besides, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't give you a kiss goodbye?"_

_Reeling her arm in like a rope, I pull her close to me. She shrieks a bit at the sudden action, but her shocked face turns into a smile as I run my fingers gently through her hair._

_Her body stiff, and her eyes unsure, I can tell she wasn't sure what I was planning. To be fair, I didn't either, but I had a few ideas._

_Leaning down, I lock lips with the girl of my dreams. Squeezing her tight against me, her body seems to surrender as she finally relaxes into my arms. The height difference between us causes us to stumble awkwardly as we intensify the kiss, gently bumping into the gate of her house._

_Finally separating the kiss, our faces float near each others for a while, neither of us sure whether to continue or not._

_"Hows that for a goodbye kiss?" I chuckle, stepping back from the blushing girl._

_"You dork." She smiles gently at me. "Warn me before you do something like that!"_

_I go to respond, but I can't really think of much to say. I just giver her a big grin. Ritsu walks up close to me, and pats my school bag._

_"Don't forget what you promised." She averts her gaze, her cheeks slightly red._

_"I wont... I'll be back soon, Ritsu." I say to her, before turning away. _

_"You better mean that..." She pouts. _

_As the distance between us grows, I can't help but look back. Seeing her still at the gate, I try my best to burn the image into my brain, not sure when we'd finally get to be together again._

* * *

"Oh, laa-dee-daa!" Rudy drawls, after waiting for my story to finish, for once. "That sort of melodramatic stuff makes me gag..."

"Whatever, man. That might be the last time I see her in a while..." I respond, shifting uncomfortably in my seat.

Rudy shakes his head.

"There **is** this thing called the internet, you know." He says, raising his eyebrows to accent his point.

Sighing, I sink lower into my seat.

"I guess... but everything's different now, y'know?" I explain, feeling a bit melancholy. "A lot can happen while I'm away. She could change, **I **could change. The uncertainty of it all is killing me. I just wish I could be there, next to her."

Rudy falls silent, for once.

"Don't get to worked up about it, man." He finally replies. "I'm sure things will work out for you."

"I sure hope so..."

* * *

_**EPILOGUE - THREE YEARS LATER**_

"Gaah~ why does is it have to be so hot?" I groan, scratching my stomach. "I'm sweating buckets over here!"

Damn air conditioning is busted... I don't really want to talk to the landlord though. At least it's summer; he'd be twice as pissed with snow on the ground.

Y'know, I'm glad Canada isn't brutal winter all the damn time, but why does it have to get blazing hot too? Where's my happy medium?

I turn to the other occupant of the room expectantly. Why doesn't she just leave me be? I've got a long day ahead of me... bitching about the weather.

Giving me a long stare, she seems to be thinking hard about something.

"Why do_ you_ have to be so cold?" She responds eventually, smirking.

I clap sarcastically.

"Did you come up with that one yourself?" I say robotically. "Congratulations..."

She doesn't seem to appreciate this, not one bit.

"I'm being serious! You were all nice last night, but now that we're awake you're being a total _dick_. What the fuck is up?"

I groan, the barely clothed woman still standing in my bedroom, taking up an unfortunate amount of space in my cramped apartment.

"Well for one thing, I barely know you..." I reply, awkwardly staring at the fuming girl. "Sarah?"

"Amy! And just _whose_ idea was it to invite me up to his apartment?" She asks, picking up her clothes off the bed.

I try to remember, but my drunken escapades create a sizable hole in my memory.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" I ask, scratching my head. "Cause for all I know I was roofied by a crazy woman."

The girl... or Amy, rather, gives me the stinkeye.

"Y'know, Rudy told me you were a good guy." She responds, as she puts on her shirt. "But he was full of shit."

"Put enough liquor in me, and I'll be whatever you want, baby." I tell her acidly, while picking up her purse; Just one of her many items thrown carelessly across my room. Were we really this messy?

"Now could you please kindly leave?" I say, shoving the purse into her arms. "I have shit to do today."

"What, like cry about your Chinese sweetheart?" She asks me, walking towards the entrance.

I sigh heavily, and give her a slight push towards the door. Ever since this girl found that love contract, she kept pestering me with questions... nosy idiot.

Reaching for my coat on the hanger, I pull out a box of cigarettes, and pack them with my hand.

"She's_ Japanese_." I reply, leaning on entrance wall. "And a hell of a lot more sweet than _you._"

The girl pouts, fixing her hair in the hallway mirror. As I pray more and more for this girl to get her butt in gear, I look back into my room. My eyes scan across the messy room. Where **did **I put that contract in the end...? Last night was nothing but a blur. All I remember is stuffing it away carelessly after she had found it. Too many questions that I didn't feel like answering.

"Is this, like, a race thing?" She asks, face blank of emotion. "Are you only into Asian chicks?"

"Get out." I reply simply.

She shakes her head, putting on her shoes carefully.

"It's all the same to me." She gives me a sharp glare. "Guys who coast through life like you are boring, anyway. Plus you always smell like cigarettes. And what's up with-"

"Oh, save me the lecture." I reply harshly. "Do you think I give a shit about what you think?"

She looks like she's about to go off on me, but a sharp rapping on the door causes her to flinch. Goddammit, who was pestering on my lazy Sunday morning?

I let the knocking continue, bringing my finger to my lips, to let Amy know to shut up; something I'm sure she's not to good at.

"You're not going to answer that?" She whispers to me.

I shake my head.

"It's probably just the Landlord" I reply. "I'm not looking to deal with his shit today, so you mind keeping it down until he leaves?"

Amy gives me a smirk.

"OH MY GOD, CONRAD, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" She yells dramatically. "TRICKING ME INTO SEX, THAN TOSSING ME TO THE SIDE, JUST LIKE THE CONDOM."

"What the shit, Amy?" I say, as she grabs the door handle, pulling the door open.

"Smell ya later, _asshole_." She says to me, before running out the door, pretending to cry.

"OH GOD, WHAT A HORRIBLE EXCUSE OF A MAN!"

Jesus. The other tenants already know I'm a loud drunk, that last thing I need is them getting more insight into my _shit_ life.

As much as I would like to go back to bed and forget about all this crap, I have to force myself to answer the door. Why did she have to blow my cover?

Pushing the door fully open, I put on my best polite face for whomever occupied the other side.

"Sorry about thaaaaaa..." I trail off. The cigarette hanging from my mouth falls to the floor, as I can literally feel my mouth falling agape.

"Hey, dummy. Who was that girl?"

Oh, Shit.

"You mind letting me in? We have a few things to work out, don't we?"

Years after our separation, standing there in the entrance-way of my cruddy apartment in only my boxers, I was once again graced by the presence of the forehead girl.

* * *

**Yaaaay, another chapter! I hope you guys liked the bonus at the end. I'm probably going to write one or two more chapters, just to wrap things up.**

**Stay tuned if you want to see exactly how much Conrad fucked up in the course of three years, and how much shit he's in with the girl he thought long gone.**

**Adios.**


	16. Memories

_**2502701: Oh crap indeed.**_

_**InuYashaOuranKyoFan: Thanks for reading my story, hope you keep enjoying it!**_

_**Y: Conrad doesn't make the best decisions, does he? Thanks for reading!**_

_**Four Dimensional: Aw shucks... Thanks!**_

_**Salutations, everyone! The time has finally come for the next chapter of 'The Forehead Girl' to be released. So yeah. Enjoy n' stuff.**_

* * *

"Do you... want some coffee, or something?" I ask, shuffling around my tiny kitchen.

"I'm fine, Conrad." Ritsu replies, taking a seat on my couch. That is, only once she moves some of the dirty clothes to make room for herself. I cringe at the sight, suddenly regretting not cleaning the house last weekend.

This was horribly awkward. At the very least, I was now fully clothed; but as far as what the hell she was doing in Canada, I couldn't even begin to contemplate. I mean, it's been _three years_ since I left Japan, and nearly the same amount of time since we stopped communicating.

..._I _stopped communicating, rather. It wasn't exactly a direct action of mine, but putting yourself in an emotionally stagnant bubble and changing your contact info can do wonders in killing ones social life.

I walk over to my ex-girlfriend, who was glancing curiously around my room.

"Sorry about the mess." I say, kicking some of the dirty clothes underneath the bed; something that causes Ritsu to laugh slightly.

I look over at her, a slight smile adorning her pretty face. The last time I'd seen her face to face was... probably two years ago. In that short time, she had grown so much. She still looked like goofy old Ritsu, but something about her expression carried a sense of tiredness and stress. My heart sinks, hoping that I wasn't the source of it.

I couldn't be, right? She must have gotten over me by now...

But then, why would she be here?

"Conrad?" her voice shakes me out of my trance. "Are you listening?"

"Y-yeah?" I choke out, grinning.

My fake smile causes no reaction, as she shifts uncomfortably.

"I said, 'it's not like you could have known I was coming'." She re-iterates, a troubled expression washing over her. "Are you okay?"

It takes me a second for the gears in my brain to start moving. Japanese, Conrad. Remember that language you used to speak in? I was completely unprepared for this.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I reply almost too quickly. "...why are you here, anyway?"

She winces visibly at my cold tone.

"I can leave, if I'm a bother..." She says quietly, looking over at the door.

It was usually at times like these that she would reprimand me for being an ass. But as time continues to pass agonizingly slow in my shoddy home, I am becoming all to aware that our relationship is nothing of what it once was.

"No! I'm happy to see you, actually!" I deny quickly, taking a seat next to her. "Cmon! I want to hear all about your celebrity stories!"

Ritsu blushes at this, and pouts. My heart strings pull hard; I've missed that expression. I miss alot of her expressions.

"I keep telling you, I'm not a celebrity!" Ritsu shakes her head, covering her face slightly with her hands.

For the uninitiated, since my less than graceful departure from Ritsu's life, Hokago Tea Time has become quite the hit in Japan. I'm not talking Budokan big, but they've caused quite the stir with their music, I have to say.

"Oh, cmon. You guys have CD signings, and you've been on T.V!" I assert, smiling at my old friend. "No need to be so humble!"

"It's only because of Yukio really..." Ritsu sighs. "His connections in the music industry are what got us this far."

"From what I've seen, it's more than just that." I chuckle slightly, getting up. Walking over to my small closet, I send her a quick grin. "Just last week, all sorts of guys were waiting out in the cold rain at that concert, just to see your face!"

Ritsu eyes shoot wide open, her face yet again turning pink. "T-they weren't waiting for me! They wanted Mugi, probably! B-besides, how do you know about that?"

Retrieving a sizable box from my closet, I reach inside and grab a cut out from a magazine. Alongside some words praising the band, there was picture of a bunch of guys in raincoats, holding a sign with the words "We Love You, Ritsu!" written on it in bright red writing.

"I'm pretty sure they wanted to see _you_." I chuckle, handing her the cut out. Her face flares up further as a result.

"I... I guess I really _am_ a celebrity." She says bewilderingly, before turning to me. "But... where did you get this Japanese magazine from? I thought you couldn't get them here.."

Walking over to me, Ritsu reaches out towards the box.

"Oh no you don't!" I shout, trying to maneuver the box away from her. But as Ritsu snatches the box away, I can only sigh as she pushes me playfully away, looking into the box.

Her eyes go wide, as she rustles through the box, pulling out every magazine, every tidbit, article or picture. Every single one with a picture of her, a mention of her... I had collected them obsessively.

...I really hope her stalker alarm isn't going off.

"What's all this?" She asks simply, dumping out the last of the pictures. "W-why do you have all this?"

...Her stalker alarm is going off, isn't it.

"Uh... I-I just like to stay informed." I reply bashfully, trying to putt all the stuff back into the box. 'Informed' might be a bit of an understatement.

"But you... you stopped contacting me, and you..." Ritsu starts, face contorted in confusion. "Why would you..."

"I'm your biggest fan?" I shrug, putting the lid on the box. Shuffling over to the closet, I practically throw the box into my closet and slam the door. "Let's just forget you saw that, okay?"

Ritsu takes a moment, looking like she was deep in thought. I dare not interrupt her.

"But you dumped me..." She said quietly. "You left me so quickly, I thought you hated me!"

I go to respond quickly, but after looking at Ritsu's pained expression, I too take a moment to recollect my thoughts before speaking.

"I never dumped you, Ritsu." I reply, frowning slightly. "Things just... changed, is all."

She seems to take in my words, but her expression does not change.

"Changed? You mean... that girl?" Ritsu asks, glancing over at the door where Amy had just recently left. You know, the one who was crying and screaming about condoms?

Yeah.

"N-no! God no!" I reject he concept frantically, my arms flailing in front of my face. "She was just a random girl from last night!"

Ritsu facepalms. "Is that supposed to sound like a good thing?" She sighs. "Do you often pick up 'random girls', Conrad?"

Well, I suppose that wasn't the first time I've made an ass out of myself. No, certainly not.

"No..." I say, exasperated with my own idiocy. "Well, yes. But I can't help it if girls at our concerts are so aggressive!"

It was true; Amy was not the first girl to follow me home after a set, but she might just be the last, as I now feel like offing myself.

"Concerts?" Her face lightens up slightly, much to my relief. "So you're in a band, Conrad?"

"Okay, well, c_oncerts_ might be a bit strong of a word. But if you count me and Rudy playing shitty covers at Open Mic Night a 'band', then sure." I chuckle, pointing over to a picture on my wall of me and Rudy sloppily drunk on stage.

Ritsu giggles. "You and Rudy were such a funny pair..." Her voice dripped with nostalgia, and we both cant help but frown.

"I guess it makes sense..." Ritsu breaks the awkward silence, looking at me. "You've grown a lot more handsome, Conrad. I shouldn't be surprised that you're getting all the girls!"

I can't tell if she really means that or not. Japanese people have always surprised me with their ability to lie with a straight face; it's a culture that really keeps to itself. Maybe I'm just not used to being complimented on my looks. I guess with my recent luck (if you want to call it that) with women, it might just be true.

"It's not like that!" I try to defend myself. "That girl and I didn't even sleep together!"

Ritsu raises an eyebrow at this, and points across the room. "What's that, then?"

Following the direction of her gaze, I find that she was pointing at a condom wrapper, lying clear as day on my futon.

I grimace, looking back at my less than impressed ex-girlfriend.

It's always the condoms, isn't it.

"Well I never said I didn't try..." I admit sheepishly. "But then she found our contract..." I trail off, my face heating up.

"You still have the contract?" Ritsu asks, her face lighting up again.

"Of course I do!" I answer, surprised. "You really think I would get rid of it?"

Ritsu doesn't look very happy with me.

"Well, we _are_ talking about your night of passion with another woman. Can you blame me for wondering?"

Touché, Ritsu. Yet again, touché.

"I-It wasn't a _night of friggin passion_! Like I said, nothing happened! Once I started thinking about you, I... I..."

I couldn't say it.

"You... what?" Ritsu asks, a curious smile gives her interest away.

"I couldn't get it up..." I look down at my crotch. "And I might have cried..."

The room was deathly silent.

"I-I'm not really, sure. But I woke up in the bathtub. I guess i slept there out of embarrassment..." I add, the memories from last night still not exactly clear.

Suddenly, Ritsu bursts out laughing; and amazing feat considering only minutes ago her composure was so refined. Maybe she hasn't changed as much as I think.

"That's _so_ like you, Conrad." She says between giggles.

"I'm still the same old loser..." I add, now chuckling myself, despite my embarrassment. "As soon as I thought of you, I just couldn't get you out of my head!"

"But..." Ritsu begins, now returning to her old melancholic expression. "That girl... she'snot the only one, though, right?"

My heart sinks again. She was right; I only had so much of an excuse.

"Like you said, these girls are aggressive, right?" She presses me again, her uneasy smile piercing me.

"Y-yeah... I'm not going to stand here and say I've been faithful." I reply, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. "But I mean, c'mon, there's no way you stayed celibate either..."

I want nothing more than for her to laugh and agree, but my heart pains as Ritsu does nothing but stare at the floor.

"Cmon, Ritsu. I _know _you dropped me like an bad habit once I was gone..." I continue, but fail to bring out a response from her. "There's no way you've been holding out for me..."

Ritsu gives me a sheepish smile. "Pretty much..."

...So this is what it feels like to be a scumbag.

"I'm sorry, Ritsu." I say finally, my voice shaking with regret. "I don't know what you were hoping to find out coming all the way here... but I'm sure this wasn't it."

Ritsu gives me a gentle smile.

"It's not like I came to get us back together, dummy." She replies, giving me a pat on the shoulder. "I've come to terms with all this too, y'know!"

Same old aloof Ritsu. Even though I had left her life so suddenly, I never felt worried for her. I always figured she was fine without me, and nothing I've seen or heard today has proven me otherwise.

"Besides, you seem to be doing fine for yourself!" Ritsu looks around my room, stopping to admire my new bass. "You're really living like a rockstar, aren't you?"

Once again, I'm not really sure if she's joking or not.

Regardless, her friendly demeanor throws me for a loop. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything else after what I did, though. At this point I wasn't much more than an old friend. I guess It just hurts to finally put a close on all this mess.

"I just had some time off from the band, and came here to track you down!" She reveals, walking over to her bag. She starts to rustle through it, humming a HTT song all the while.

"I've been wondering about that, actually." I interject, cutting her happy tune off. "How the heck did you find me without knowing my address? Not even my Dad knows about this place yet!"

Ritsu says nothing; at least until she finds what she was looking for. Producing a piece of paper, she turns and gives me a weary look.

"Your Dad gave me your Uncle's address, but then your Uncle told me you moved out ever since you..." Ritsu trails off, clearly sad.

"Dropped out of school? Stopped contacting you? Gave up on being a decent human being?" I start listing my offences, not exactly a short list.

"Don't beat yourself up, Conrad." Ritsu shakes her head. "I'm not here to chew you out!"

As she says this, she hands me the paper she had retrieved just moments ago.

The paper, brief and to the point, caught my attention immediately.

~SAKURAGAOKA HIGH REUNION~

The large and stylized letters cause me to smile. The date was only a few weeks from now... I guess things weren't over just yet, after all.

"Just so you know, you're the only person from our old class who hasn't confirmed their attendance." Ritsu shakes her head playfully. "Since I graciously came all this way to inform you, I don't think you have any choice but to attend!"

Getting another chance to see everyone would be awesome, but at the same time utterly terrifying. For someone who promised time and time again to stay in touch and return gloriously, I had next to nothing to show for it. Compared to everyone else, it was pretty pathetic. Just our old club produced 6 talented and famous musicians... and one Canadian bum. I don't want to begin thinking about everyone else in our class... Tanaka was probably off getting his second PhD for Christ's sake.

"I don't know, Ritsu..." I start, now beginning to realize how awkward this would be. "I barely knew anyone in our grade except the Keion members. Besides, I'm pretty sure Yukio is going to punch me again if I show up..."

Ritsu laughs st this, most likely remembering my swollen face the day of the festival.

"Too bad! I'll pay for your plane ticket if I have to! You're going to come celebrate with us, whether you like it or not!" She smiles at me.

Celebrate? What was there to celebrate? I sigh heavily. Just when I thought I could leave all this behind me...

"Fine, I'll come." I admit finally, causing Ritsu to grin even wider. "But I still have my pride! I'll pay my way there, thanks..."

"Great! Everyone is going to be happy to hear from you!" Ritsu chirps happily. Her in good spirits was the last thing I was expecting the moment she showed up.

"There's a lot I want to catch up with you about, but I've got to get back to my hotel!" She complains, walking over to the door. "I swear, they work me ragged!"

I want to tell her that I feel the same way. That I want to tell her so many things, about all the mistakes and problems I've been dealing with since then. But then I feel that ever familiar inferiority; the same one that brought me to this state in the first place. Ritsu was a celebrity now, and a busy one at that. She had no time for me and my problems anymore. She had moved on.

"A-are you sure? If you just give me a second to tidy up, you could spend the day here!" I say hopefully, following Ritsu to my front door.

Ritsu turns to me, and gives me a sheepish look. She seems to want to say something, but can't find the words.

"...Just as friends, of course." I add, figuring she didn't want to complicate things.

"Ah... it's just..." She mumbles, looking at her shoes. "Yukio is waiting for me at the hotel room. He helped me find you, cause he's much better with English than me..." She chuckles lightly. "I shouldn't keep him waiting."

Never mind, That complicates things plenty.

Every fiber in my body is telling my face to contort in disgust at the mention of that name, to ask her what exactly her current relationship with Yukio was. But somehow I'm able to keep it under wraps, as I continue to smile. After my less than noble treatment of her, I don't really feel like I have a right to ask.

"R-right. Well, I'll see you at the reunion, Ritsu." I nod like a robot, turning the knob of my front door. I give her a slight push outside, wanting nothing but to be alone.

"Wait!" Ritsu shouts. "I can't leave here without getting your number, or something! I'm not going to let you disappear again!"

Frankly, Ritsu. That's all I feel like doing at the moment.

"Just trust me, Ritsu." I roll my eyes, giving her another push. "I'm definitely going to show up. Don't worry about me."

Ritsu turns towards me, and gives me a long and hard stare. This causes me to stiffen up considerably.

"W-what?" I ask, feeling horribly nervous under her scrutiny.

"I'm trying to trust you." She replies simply, continuing her icy stare. "If you're lying, I will personally come back to make you swallow a thousand needles!"

I chuckle at this, giving her one last push out the door. "Yeah, yeah. Just get back to Yukio. I'm sure he doesn't approve of you being with me anyway, right?"

"It's not like that, Conrad." She says sternly, straightening her clothes. Looking up at the blazing sun, she wipes some stray sweat off her forehead. "Jeez~! I thought you said this place was _cold_!"

"I said it was _shitty_, remember?" I correct her, smiling.

She laughs slightly, before giving me a strange look.

"Y'know... I keep catching myself reminiscing about us..." Ritsu says, turning away. "It's been years since you left, but after seeing your face again, all these old feelings are resurfacing..."

"You read my mind." I reply, nostalgia having taken hold of me ever since she arrived.

As Ritsu continues to look away, she lets out a deep, melancholy sigh.

"Ritsu?" I ask, moving around to her front.

Rubbing her face frantically, her slightly watery eyes eventually meet mine, being eerily accompanied by her trademark grin.

"See you at the reunion, Conrad!" She laughs, before skipping off. I want to press her further, but I can't help but laugh at her same old antics.

As I watch her get farther and farther away from my apartment complex, she turns back to give a second wave of her hand... third... fourth... until she finally disappeared around the street corner.

Breathing a sigh of melancholic relief, I turn back towards my messy apartment. Looking down at the reunion invite in my hands, I groan. Just what the hell am I going to do about this?

...I suppose it's not a _horrible_ time to turn things around.

* * *

As soon as Ritsu left, I set out to find our old contract. Turns out that when I'm intoxicated, I'm really good at hiding things. Being hungover from last night didn't exactly help things either.

After Amy found our contract on my dresser, she wouldn't stop asking people wouldn't bat an eye at that contract, especially sicne its written in Japanese. I suppose it didn't help that Amy watched me get really nervous once she asked me what it was. So I... I _think _I hid it somewhere in this room. The fact that I'm not even sure about_ that_ causes me to groan yet again. Why am I such a mess when I drink?

Scouring my living space, I can't really help but process what just happened. I always figured if I met up with Ritsu again, it would be a dramatic and crazy reunion. But our encounter earlier was nothing of either sort. It feels like we just picked up right where we left off... well, minus the kissing and stuff.

I guess she had moved on after all. I take a moment to scold myself for feeling sad at the fact. This had been what I had wanted in the first place after all. As much as I wanted to stay at her side, we were in different worlds now. A dumb failure like me had no business leeching off a star like her.

Okay, OUCH. I'm an asshole to myself sometimes. Not that I could really deny my accusations...

And I mean, It never really mattered if she felt differently about it. Ritsu was too nice. Every passing day I spent away from her, I became increasingly worried that If we stick together, I would either end being left behind, or dragging her down with me.

And so, In an act of selfish fear, I cut all ties with Ritsu. I convinced myself I could get by fine without her, and that she would be better off. I had never dreamed she would take the time to find me again. I was now faced with a insurmountable guilt, that just days earlier I had never dreamed of facing.

And it's not like I didn't give her ANY warning... the last time I saw her, the one time I honored our contract, I hopelessly tried to get the message across.

But that night was a total disaster. I can still remember the details of that festival we spent together just a couple years ago...

* * *

_~Two Years Earlier~ Tokyo, Japan_

_"Those fireworks were amazing, weren't they?!" Ritsu proclaims happily, grabbing my arm and pulling me close_r._ "Each time I thought it was over it just got better!"_

_That they were. Japan never fail to impress me with their festivals, and this Tanbata was definitely not an exception. I really couldn't have asked for a better time to come and visit Ritsu here in Tokyo. The mood was nearly perfect..._

_"Eh. I've seen better..." Satoshi adds lazily, his arms relaxed behind his head. Looking over at Ritsu and I, he scowls when he sees my arm being squeezed tightly by his sister._

_Yes, the mood would be perfect, if it wasn't for Satoshi. As soon as Ritsu's parents heard we were heading to the fireworks display, they wouldn't let us leave __without Satoshi. I wasn't totally against it, but his less than polite demeanor was ruining our romantic mood. Today was my last day before I head back to Canada again, and I certainly wasn't appreciating it._

_"Aw c'mon, Satoshi..." Ritsu bemoans, letting go of my arm. "Even you have to admit the display was cool! You love fireworks!"_

_ I guess it was my fault for not properly introducing myself to her brother. He had seen me a handful of times back when I lived in Japan, but the fact that I suddenly returned, and started acting all cutesy with his sister... well I can't exactly blame him for his bad mood. I knew enough to see I wasn't really welcome._

_This wasn't really the first time, either. Ritsu's told be how worried she is about him. I know they usually spend a good amount of time together, and since I showed up Satoshi's been avoiding us, hiding in his room whenever I was over. It was only thanks to their parents that we finally got him out, although it was clear this excursion wasn't having it's intended effect. _

___Satoshi, who was currently a little ways ahead of us, turns around and gives us the stink-eye._

_"I'm going to buy a mask!" Satoshi announces sharply, before storming off to a nearby booth, littered with colorful masks and fans._

_Ritsu sighs, and I watch her eyes as they follow her brother carefully. It was clear Satoshi wasn't the only sibling who worried about the other. Being an only child, I kind of envy their close relationship. Well, at least I would, If Satoshi wasn't being such a brat right now..._

_"I just don't get it." Ritsu says to me suddenly, eyes still latched onto her sibling. "He's never acted like this with you before..."_

_True, Satoshi never was like this the handful of times I talked to him. But even Ritsu must realize that dropping by after school, or asking for her at the door was tons different then how things are now._

_"Well, **before **__you weren't acting all lovey-dovey, like tonight..." I tell her, grinning. "He's probably sick of seeing it!"_

_Ritsu narrows her eyes at me, and places her hands on her hips. I know she was trying to appear cross, but this was too adorable for words. _

_"Lovey-dovey?!" She shouts, causing some nearby people to look over at us. _

_"B-but you told me you liked it when I act like that!" She continues, now whispering. _

_"I do!" I reassure her. Her blushing face only made her angry face cuter. "My heart hasn't stopped pounding since I saw you."_

_She rolls her eyes at me, but a small smile forms as well._

_"I'm being serious, Conrad!" She scolds me playfully._

_"I am too!" I reply simply, grabbing my chest for effect._

_She laughs at my dramatics, but soon goes back to looking over at her brother, who was still standing in line for a mask._

_"You want me to go talk to him?" I ask, shrugging. I guess this was part of being a boyfriend, too. _

_Ritsu raises an eyebrow at my words, sending me a sly smile. _

_"I don't know, Conrad. You're not really good with words..." She laughs. "You might just make him grumpier!"_

_As much as I want to deny that fact, shes probably right. But there's no shame in at least__ trying, right?_

_"I'll just be a minute..." I tell her, as I walk over towards her brother. This couldn't go that bad, could it?_

_Walking over to Satoshi, I wince as his eyes greet me with a less-than-friendly gaze._

_"Want me to buy that mask for ya?" I tell him, going in to pat him on the head._

_"I don't need your help!" He groans, dodging my hand. "I'm not some preschooler; I have my own money!"_

_Okay, maybe this WILL go that bad._

_"Fair enough." I reply, keeping my distance from the fuming boy. "...Look Satoshi, I know you don't really like me, but can't we try to get along for Ritsu's sake?"  
_

_Satoshi sighs, as he hands his money to the man tending the booth. The red Oni mask that was passed back to him in return was placed on his face right away, as if he was trying to intimidate me. _

_"Don't think I don't know what's going on here, okay?" Satoshi's muffled voice tells me through the mask, pointing at me accusingly. "I know why you're dating Neechan!"_

_"What the heck are you talking about?" I ask, as surprised as I was curious at Satoshi's frustration. _

_"You're just trying to latch on to her because she's famous now!" Satoshi pokes me in the chest._

_Damn, he really goes straight for the jugular. _

_"Hey! I liked your sister way before that!" I tell him, like some sort of hipster. "I fell for her the moment I saw her!"_

_Satoshi makes an exaggerated gagging noise, which was made all the funnier by the mask's equally exaggerated expression. _

_"Keep your pukey love stories away from me!" Satoshi says, as he walks back towards his sister._

_"P-pukey?!" I shout, running after him. Was I really losing my composure to this kid?_

_Both Satoshi and I end our chase early, however, as upon our return we see Ritsu talking to a group of girls. They all looked very excited, practically smothering Ritsu. _

_"Oh, great." Satoshi says, bored. "More fans!"_

_"M-more?" I ask Satoshi nervously, looking at the already sizable group of girls surrounding my girlfriend. "Are you telling me this happens often?"_

_"Ever since she and the band were on T.V, yeah." Satoshi replies, looking up at me. He laughs heartily at what I assume was my expression. "You look scared!"_

_I remember Ritsu telling me that they had gotten on T.V, but she never mentioned being recognized in public... and regularly at that! Was.. was my Ritsu becoming a celebrity? As cool as that prospect is, I silently curse Yukio for launching her and the girls into showbiz. _

_"Lots of guys have been recognizing her, too." Satoshi continues. "She's like an idol, or something... It's actually kind of annoying."_

_I fail to respond to this, as I'm too busy imagining Ritsu surrounded by a bunch of attractive, Japanese dudes. Goddammit, brain, you are not helping!_

_Satoshi apparently picks up on my nervousness, and laughs yet again at my expense. _

_"You better watch out, Conrad! Soon enough, Onee-chan is going to be able to pick whatever guy she wants! Weird-lookin' guys like you are just going to get replaced!"_

_Replaced? What am I, some sort of outdated appliance?_

_"I'd like to think your sister is less shallow than that, Satoshi." I reply, feeling more than a bit annoyed. "I know I'm not cool or impressive, or really much of anything... but we came to love each other honestly. That's enough isn't it?"_

_Satoshi looks over at me. Although the mask was preventing me from seeing his expression, If I had to guess what emotion he was displaying, it'd be one of disdain._

_"...for someone older than me, you're pretty naive, huh?" __Satoshi begins to walk away, letting out a big sigh. __"The fireworks are over, so I'm heading home. Tell neechan for me, alright?"_

_"F-fine." I reply, watching him head back towards the entrance of the temple grounds._

_Honestly, I want nothing more than to follow Satoshi and stand up for myself. I decide against it, though, considering I'm trying to get on his good side. Besides, that guy had a silver tongue and the wit of someone twice his age. I didn't really feel like challenging him, as pathetic as that is._

_Looking over at Ritsu, who was currently posing for a picture with the girls. Satoshi's words echo in my mind._

_Was it really naive of me to think things would work out between me and her? _

_I suppose he has a point. Long-distance relationships don't often work out in the first place, and it didn't help that we were heading into very different life paths. Ritsu and the others were on the way to reaching their Budokan dreams, while I..._

_Christ, why am I being so negative? I need to get my shit together..._

_Walking over to my girlfriend, I smile a no-doubt broken smile, as the girls around her give me strange looks._

_"Hey, Ritsu. Satoshi went home ahead of us." I tell her simply, nodding in the direction of the fans._

_"Do you know this foreigner, Ritsu-chan?" One of the girls say, giving me a slightly nervous expression._

_Ritsu smiles, and goes to reply. As much as I'd like to see their faces, knowing that their precious Ritsu was dating a creep like me, I figure it's best if we don't cause any unnecessary rumors. _

_"I'm 'Tainaka-sans' bodyguard!" I tell the girls, giving them a flex of my bicep. This was a horribly forced explanation (and my muscles weren't very impressive, either) but they seem to accept it, as they turn back to Ritsu._

_"You have a bodyguard, Ritsu-san?! That's so cooool!" One girl tells her, practically squealing._

_"We should head back to the limo, ma'am." I tell her with a smile, extending my hand towards her. Ritsu gives me a confused look, but grabs my hand anyway._

_After saying goodbye to her fans for the umpteenth time, we finally made our way out of the festival, and back towards Ritsu's house._

* * *

As engrossed as I was in my own memories, my thoughts halted when a sharp rapping on the door of my apartment pulled my attention elsewhere.

Oh god, don't tell me it's actually the landlord this time...

"Conrad, open up! I need AIR CONDITIONING!" I hear Rudy's muffled voice from the other side of the door, causing me to smile.

Well, I guess I'm lucky today after all.

"One sec, Rudy. I just need a second here!" I call out to my friend. I felt caught up in my frantic search again. All that reminiscing had brought me to a snail's pace.

I'm not even sure why I'm looking here, to be honest. I would have had to have been drunk as hell to hide it in the kitchen, or god forbid the bathroom.

"**NOW**, PLEASE." Rudy calls through the mail slot, his voice no longer muffled. "I AM DYING OF THIRST."

Sighing, I walk to the door to let in my impatient friend, who practically jumps inside to bathe himself in the cooled air.

"What are you doing, man?" My red-haired friend asks me, a satisfied grin on his sweaty face. I had already gone back to searching the kitchen, barely taking the time to acknowledge him.

"Looking for... something." I mumble out, giving my sore back a stretch. I didn't really feel like bringing Ritsu up, after spending so much effort to convince him I was over her. I like to fancy myself an independent, strong man, though that may be a little too far from the truth. Just Ritsu's short appearance earlier had me all out of sorts.

Rudy gives me a strange look, before grabbing a beer out of my fridge. Flopping down on my couch, next to the AC, he proceeds to say absolutely nothing. As annoyed as I would normally be with him, I push those thoughts way, as I return back to my living room to look around again for the contract.

Alongside the restarted search, my mind once again wanders back to those old memories.

That night at the festival really was the catalyst for something much more important. Ever since that night, I wasn't able to look at our relationship the same. I always felt... inadequate.

* * *

_Hours after the festival, me and Risu were wandering around town, not wanting to end our night just yet. Our wanderlust had led us to a convenience store, of all places. _

_Exiting said convenience store with my bag of goodies, I walk over to my girlfriend... who was currently checking herself out in a car door mirror. She was bent over, furrowed brow, trying her best to fix her hair. I guess she wasn't expecting me to finish my shopping so quickly._

_I try my best to stifle my laughs, as I sneak up behind her._

_"Whatcha doin?" I ask playfully, tapping her on the back._

_Yelping, and practically falling over herself in the process, Ritsu turns around quickly to face me, her face bright red._

_"W-w-w-whats up?" She stumbles out, failing horribly to cover up her nervousness._

_I laugh loudly, causing her to pout. _

_"You look** fine**, Ritsu." I tell her, brushing a hair on her face to the side. "Besides, if you make yourself look any prettier, you might give me a heart attack!"_

_Ritsu scoffs at my attempts at romance, but can't help but smile. I was telling the truth, after all. She was wearing a beautiful flower-pattern kimono, and her hair was done up all nicely. _

_Ritsu reaches into the plastic bag to retrieve the strawberry milk she requested. Her eyes went bug eyed, however, as she pulled out not only a box of cigarettes, but a box of condoms as well. _

_"Conrad...__" Ritsu begins, as she facepalms. "The condoms, I get. But why the cigarettes?!"_

_...I guess it was my turn to be embarrassed._

_"They help me relax..." I reply guiltily. Cigarettes were the latest item on my list of bad habits, and I've been trying my damnedest to keep it a secret from Ritsu (not exactly a difficult task when you live hundreds of miles away.)_

_"Wait, you mean you've been smoking these regularly?!" Ritsu moans, shoving the box in my face. "They're bad for you, and they taste like crap!"_

_"I'm sorry, I... wait, taste?" I begin, before raising an eyebrow at Ritsu's words.__"Oh! So you were already planning on smooching me?"_

_I was excited, like a puppy dog waiting for a biscuit. Ritsu obviously picks up on this, and throws the two box carelessly at my face. _

_"Dummy." She says, turning back around. "I think you were planning more than me, no?"_

_Looking at the box of condoms in the bag, I wince. "Touché, as always."_

_Ritsu sends me a victory sign, before walking off towards her house. I follow her, jogging to catch up._

_"Besides, Conrad." Ritsu starts again, closing the distance between us. "You're miles away from school, it's Tanbata, and you're with your girlfriend! Aren't you already relaxed?" _

_I think about that for a moment, but soon remember why my mood been a little uneasy. It's those damn fans earlier, and Satoshi... that brat. Replaced? Me?_

_Ritsu apparently notices my solemn silence, and opts to give me a hug. _

_"You're really something, Ritsu." I tell her, burying my face in her hair. "You're pretty much a celebrity now."_

_"I told you to stop calling me that!" Ritsu says, pulling away from me. "Just because some people recognized me, doesn't mean-"_

_"They wanted your autograph!" I add, almost proudly. "It's crazy. I feel like I'm going to be left behind..."_

_"What the heck does that mean?" Ritsu gives a confused look, and takes a swig from her milk._

_"Well..." I begin, looking awkwardly at my feet. "I kinda need to tell you something."_

_Ritsu looks at me worriedly, I guess picking up on my mood. "What? Is everything okay, Conrad?"_

_"Not really. I sorta... kinda, dropped out of school." I tell her finally, as she was in the middle of sipping her milk._

_Yeah, mid sip. Great thinking, Conrad._

_Spewing the milk all over the ground, Ritsu eyes lock onto mine, wide as saucers. _

_"W-WHAT?!" She shouts, wiping milk off of her chin. "Since when?!"_

_"A few weeks ago." I admit guiltily. "I've been meaning to tell you for a while, actually..."_

_I cant help but laugh at her bug-eyed expression. _

_"It's not funny, Conrad..." Ritsu says, looking worried. "I thought you said you would study hard so you could come work here..."_

_The look on her face was breaking my heart. This wasn't the first time I had let her down, but the guilt was as fresh as ever._

_"...Yeah, well, that might take longer than expected." I say, looking anywhere but here eyes. "B-but It's okay! I'm working full-time now, and I can keep saving up money to come here to visit you!"_

_Ritsu smiles, but then her expression turns more weary. "But you can't do that forever, Conrad."_

_Touché._

_Standing there, I take a moment to gather my thoughts. _

_"You're right, Ritsu." I answer, shrugging. "I can't. At least... not if we want to stay together."_

_My girlfriends frowns, here eyes glistening slightly. I can almost feel my heart tear a bit. _

_"What are you saying, Conrad? Do you... not want to?" She asks, walking closer to me._

_"Of course I do!" I reply immediately, closing the distance myself. "But, sometimes what we want isn't what's best for us."_

_"Conrad..."_

_Though we were standing mere inches away from each other, It felt like our hearts were growing farther apart by the second. We both fall silent, as we both seem to search for some kind of answer, some kind of solution that might dispel our worries, if only for a moment._

_"Ritsu," I begin, giving her a solemn look. "Don't you ever think that you might want to find a guy whose a little more... suitable for you?"_

_"What the heck are you talking about, you idiot?" Ritsu asks me, bewildered. "I don't wan't another guy, I want you!"_

_"But... I suck at school, I'm not exactly good looking, and I don't even know if I have any future outside of a shitty nine-to-five back in Canada. Meanwhile, you're everything I'm not, with this huge, bright future ahead of you. There's plenty of guys out there would be better for you..."_

_What the hell was I saying? Am I trying to make my nightmares come true?_

_"It's just... Sometimes I think I'm not destined for the life you're heading into, Ritsu. That I'm just going to hold you back." I finish, less than elegantly._

_Ritsu erases what little space there was between us, and buries her face in my chest. _

_"Don't beat yourself like that, Conrad. You know I hate it when you do that." She speaks into my chest, right near my heart. "I don't want us to give up, okay? We can make this work!"_

_I suppose we could, couldn't we? But at what cost? How much is Ritsu going to sacrifice, just so I can get off my incompetent ass and play catch up? _

_...If i were to just disappear, wouldn't it be for the best?_

* * *

In retrospect, that was probably the moment where all this began. All the doubts, the depression, the self-hatred.

Now if only I could go back in time and slap myself for being so _stupid_. Figures it would only take a random visit from Ritsu and some reminiscing to make me realize how ridiculous I've been. I spent all that time in Japan wishing desperately to become close to Ritsu, and then once things finally fell in place, I threw it away in some twisted act of self-sacrifice.

It has been two years, though. Was it too late for me to try and fix things with her?

Then again, I'm not sure my timing even matters. Even if things go horribly wrong, and I'm left with even less hope then what I have now, at least I can say I tried. _Anything_ is better then just sitting here feeling sorry for myself. Frankly, I'm embarrassed it took me this long to realize that.

Typical Conrad.

Looking around my crappy apartment, and considering my list of life accomplishments was shorter than most, the odds of success don't look exactly good. But that doesn't mean I was about to give up this chance at retribution. Not a chance.

"Weren't you supposed to be looking for something?" Rudy asks me lazily from the couch.

...I've been standing here in la-la land this whole time, haven't I?

"Yeah, but I've looked everywhere, and it's nowhere to be seen." I answer, scratching my head. "Where do you suppose I would hide something in a drunken stupor?"

"Have you checked the shower?" Rudy responds, not skipping a beat.

Walking over to the bathroom, I shake my head heavily.

"That's ridiculous, Rudy. Why would I hide it there..." I say, though currently I was looking at the contract, rolled up right next to the shampoo.

"How the hell did you..." I ask astonished, peeking my head out of the bathroom to look at my apparently psychic friend.

"I've just spent enough time around you drunk to know your tendencies." Rudy replies smugly. "You're welcome."

As I turn back to retrieve the contract, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

"FUCK!" I yell out. "I DIDN'T SHAVE!"

Goddammit, I look so messy! I was going to get a haircut today, too!

"Whats the big deal about that?" Rudy asks, understandably confused at my outburst.

I can't believe I let Ritsu see me like this! I look like a fucking philistine! A barbarian! A...

Just as I reach for my razor, I suddenly remember my ex's words, spoken to me just a short while ago.

_"You've grown a lot more handsome, Conrad. I shouldn't be surprised that you're getting all the girls!"_

_..._

_..._

...maybe I'll put off shaving for a little while longer.

* * *

_**OKAY FOLKS. SO THAT'S CHAPTER 16. I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED IT, AND THAT THE LENGTH WASN'T TOO LONG. IM THINKING OF RELEASING ONE OR TWO MORE CHAPTERS, BUT YOU GUYS LET ME KNOW IF ITS GOING ON TOO LONG, K?**_

_**Okay, enough all caps. I'm really happy to finally get thus chapter out there for you people. And I hope it was worth the wait. If anything could use adjusting, just let me know in a review!**_

_**See you guys next time!**_


	17. Prodigal Son

_**InuYashaOuranKyoFan**: Thanks for your continued support. I'm really glad you're enjoying the story!_

_**ImpishWolf**: Hopefully this chapter will relieve some of the uncertainty. I'll certainly consider your request too, as it would be an interesting writing exercise!_

_**TheHatchet27**: Amazing review, man. Your words really got me motivated to keep writing, and pour more effort into the story. I sincerly hope this new installment meets your expectations._

_Alright, I'll keep this brief. Welcome to the near-conclusion of The Forehead Girl. Conrad is on the final stretch, whether he realizes it or not. I hope you all enjoy the story, and that I didn't go overboard this time with word count. You guys are the best!_

* * *

Crrack.

"Ohhh, that's nice..." I say aloud, despite those around me giving me strange looks.

Nothing beats cracking your back after hours in a cramped airplane seat...

Sighing heavily, I take a look around the crowded airport terminal. Now that I was actually here in Japan, I felt like I was experiencing culture shock all over again.

Err, culture _nostalgia_, rather.

It's not like I hadn't done this plenty of times before, but the nature and reason of my return couldn't be much different. This time around I have plenty of 'splainin to do. Luckily for me, the guy supposedly waiting for me at this terminal was one that I could count on to not ask too many questions. The type of guy that would happily bring me to the nearest bar or pub so that...

Man... and I wonder why Ritsu always called me an alcoholic...

The man who I was speaking of, of course, was my old buddy Tanaka Hayashi. I feel a sting of guilt as I struggle to remember details about him; the university he was accepted to, his birthday. Our time spent together was nothing but a fleeting memory now. I would've liked to have kept in touch with him, but even if my stupid disappearance two years ago had never occurred, Tanaka was off in medical school and rarely had time to talk anyway.

I just had to hope our current reunion won't be too awkward. I had one free day here before the reunion, so I'd rather not spend it feeling guilty about my decisions.

As I continue to reminisce about my old friend, I become increasingly worried as I look around the terminal and see no sign of him. I swear I told him the right time...

"E-excuse me, sir?" A quiet voice calls out from close behind me, causing a chill to run up my spine.

Turning quickly to find who the heck snuck up on me, I'm quite surprised to come face to face with an extremely pretty Japanese girl. She was tall and slender, and looked quite elegant. She could easily be a model, and she probably knew it.

"Buh.. Huh?" My mouth begins to respond, but as is usual with me and girls, I fail to produce anything remotely correct.

"You wouldn't happen to be... Conrad, would you?"

What the hell did a girl like her want with me? I looked like a hobo-lumberjack with this stupid beard and long hair. I'm starting to think that Ritsu _was_ joking about the whole handsome thing.

Wait. She knows my name! Could it be that my past association with Hokago Tea Time... has launched me into fame as well? Did the girls speak fondly of me to the press?

"S-sir?" The girl repeats, breaking me out of my ridiculous fantasy.

There's no possible way that could be right. How could anyone recognize me like _this_? Straightening my clothes slightly, I clear my throat. I don't know if it was just having to speak Japanese again, but my inability to converse properly with women is starting to resurface with a vengeance.

"Yeah, that's me." I reply simply, my eyes narrowing in suspicion. "...Do I know you?"

That sounded nice and aloof. A little cold, but it's better than... I dunno, telling her she had a big forehead or something.

"Tanaka-kun! Over here!" The girl suddenly shouts out to her left.

Wait, what the hell? It couldn't be...

Following the direction of her eyes, I see that Tanaka was indeed heading towards us. He didn't look that different, other than a significant difference in height and some noticeable bags under his eyes. He had a large grin on his face, but he looked quite exhausted. Guess medical school wasn't being too kind on the guy...

"Yankee-san!" Tanaka shouts, giving me a tight hug. I'm resistant at first, but soon return the embrace happily. Looks like Tanaka hadn't changed all that much.

...especially since he was still calling me that damned name.

"It's great to see you, Tanaka." I reply, deciding to ignore my petty aversion to the nickname. If anything, being called Yankee-san felt good. Like I was back at Sakuragaoka again.

"So..." I begin, glancing awkwardly at the gorgeous woman flanking Tanaka. "Is this your sister?"

The girl giggles at this sending an amused glance towards Tanaka, who was grinning in return.

No way. She couldn't actually be his-

"Actually, this is my girlfriend, Momoko." Tanaka says, clearly a little embarrassed. "We met at university!"

Dumbfounded, I take a moment. First glancing at Tanaka, and then at Momoko. I repeat the action a few more times, causing the pair to get quite uneasy. I chuckle slightly at this, before sending my friend a bewildered smile.

"First getting into medical school, and now you're dating a beautiful girl like this?" I say to him, patting him lightly on the back. "You've really been working hard, huh?"

Tanaka grins, and grabs his girlfriends hand. This guy really was something. I always figured Tanaka to be such a dork. Not in a bad way; Hell, I liked him for it, and I could identify with him. I just never figured he'd have much luck with women...

Hold on a second. Was Tanaka really such a dork back then? I mean, he at least tried to woo Yoko from the Cosplay Club, and then there was that girl from the group date... Chiyo! And _now_, he's with a cute girl like Momoko!

...Damn. The whole time I figured myself to be the more sociable of the two of us, but I guess I never truly noticed how well Tanaka got along with the ladies. The only romance I had to speak of was Ritsu, who practically led me through the motions, and more recently... a bunch of drunk floozies from the bar.

Looks like Ritsu isn't the only one leaving me in the dust.

"A-and you?" Tanaka announces awkwardly, causing me to break from my internal monologue.

I really have a bad habit of getting lost in my thoughts, don't I. Though I suppose being dragged back to Japan suddenly like this might play a role in how pensive I've been recently.

"Uh..." I mumble, trying to think of something impressive.

"You've changed a lot, Conrad." Tanaka adds, luckily releiving me of the need to speak.

"You're bigger, and..." He adds, giving me a once over.

"Manlier?" I joke, stroking my beard.

"...more like a Yankee." Tanaka finishes, laughing. "You actually fit the thuggish stereotype now!"

"T-thuggish?" I reply, offended, though not exactly surprised.

Momoko nods a little _too_ energetically at this. I guess he was right; I was already weird looking before, but now I look like I belonged on a Japan's Most Wanted list. I should have shaved after all...

"W-whatever..." I mumble, feeling quite embarrassed. "Ritsu said it was handsome..."

At the mention of my ex's name, Momoko's eyes light right up.

"Oh my god. So you _did _actually date Ritsu from HTT?" She asks me, eyes wide in apparent disbelief. "That's amazing!"

"I told you I wasn't lying..." Tanaka says, looking satisfied.

"I guess It's hard to believe, isn't it." I chuckle, shrugging slightly.

Momoko smiles mischievously at this information, which catches me a bit off guard.

"No no, it totally makes sense!" Momoko says, while donning a knowing expression. "Ritsu is always the quirky one of the group, so It would make sense for her to pick someone weird!"

Tanaka clears his throat awkwardly at this.

"I-I don't mean that in a mean way, though!" Momoko replies frantically. "You just aren't..."

"A 'conventional' handsome?" I say, remembering how Ritsu had described me years ago.

"Exactly!" Momoko nods, still quite out of sorts.

"You'll have to excuse Momoko, she's kind of obsessed with HTT." Tanaka says, putting his hand on her shoulder.

Grrreat. So now I have to deal with fangirls, huh?

"That's sort of how we met, actually, I-" Tanaka begins, smiling.

"Would you be able to get me up and close to the band?" Momoko cuts her boyfriend off rudely, giving me puppy dog eyes. "Tanaka says he doesn't know them well enough to ask!"

I cringe a bit at her transparency. This girl seems to know what she wants, and has no qualms letting others know as well.

"No can do." I reply simply, not even wanting to entertain that concept. I was in no position to be asking favours from Ritsu, that's for sure.

Momoko looks slightly miffed at my outright refusal to negotiate.

"He's right, Momo." Tanaka says in cute-sy voice, causing me to cringe yet again. "It's unfair to ask that of him!"

Momoko rolls her eyes slightly at this, but send him a smile nonetheless.

"Fine. But we're still going to the concert today, right?" Momoko asks Tanaka, latching onto his arm. "I reeeeealy want to go!"

Tanaka sends a weak glance over to me. I had talked to him over the phone before arriving, and... essentially got him up to speed with how much I fucked up with Ritsu. Even worse, how I was staying at a hotel, too cowardly to even face my father at this point.

"I'm not sure if Conrad would like that, Momo." Tanaka replies. "He's not... really on good terms with them anymore."

It's this sort of thing that makes me feel like an ass for undervaluing my friendship with Tanaka back at Sakuragaoka. He may be a bit eccentric, but this guy clearly had my back, even despite my questionable life decisions.

I shake my head, and give Tanaka a reassuring grin. I might be a bit of a wreck, but I'm not _that_ fragile.

"It's okay, dude." I reply. "I kinda want to see them live again, anyway!"

Tanaka raises an eyebrow at this, wearing a uneasy smile.

"...Just promise me we can go drinking later, okay?" I add, patting him on the shoulder.

Tanaka chuckles at this, now donning a much more natural smile.

"Same old Conrad, huh?"

* * *

After stopping at my hotel room to drop off my stuff, Tanaka, Momoko and I start to head over to the supposed concert venue.

"So how the heck is this going to work when I don't have a ticket?" I ask finally, after a fairly boring drive.

Tanaka pulls his car up to the building, taking extra precaution not to hit any of the numerous people walking in the parking lot.

Peering out the car window, I take a gander. It was a fairly bland-looking shopping centre, except for the temporary stage attached to the outside of the building. While the lights and large logos covering the stage certainly caught my attention, the large crowd _surrounding_ said stage was a bit more crazy. I knew they were famous, but this is kind of ridiculous...

"It's actually a _free _concert!" Momoko replies happily, her head barely popping over the horizon of the front seat. "Can you believe that?"

"Are you serious?" I reply, getting a little excited myself. "What kind of business model is that?"

"A good one!" Tanaka laughs, as we all step out of the vehicle. "How else is_ yet another_ group of idols supposed to stand out in Japan? This stuff is great for exposure."

Momoko groans quite loudly at this, catching me off guard.

"They're not just 'idols', Tanaka!" She bemoans, shaking her head. "Stop badmouthing them!"

"Sorry, Momo." Tanaka replies. "I won't!"

_That's_ what she calls badmouthing? Someone is a bit defensive...

As much as I'm put off by Momoko's creepy-fangirl aura, though, I can't help but agree.

"They _are_ more than just a bunch of pretty faces, dude." I chuckle, feeling almost proud of my old friends. "They have real talent, even when they were back at Sakuragaoka."

"I suppose so." Tanaka replies, sighing. "Though I'd be lying if I said those pretty faces aren't what holds my interest..."

Cue another groan from Momoko, as I chuckle nervously.

We weren't even that near the stage, but already people were wandering all around us, presumably waiting for the concert to start.

"...Not a fan of the music?" I ask Tanaka, wanting to break the silence. I was feeling a bit uneasy in the crowd. "It's not really my cup of tea either, to be honest."

"It's way too sugary sweet for me..." Tanaka laughs, followed soon by my own.

Momoko groans yet again.

"You said you'd stop badmouthing them!" She complains, glaring at her boyfriend.

"Sorry, sorry, Momo!" Tanaka replies eagerly, grinning.

Momoko's frown didn't last long, however, as we reach the back end of the crowd. The view from where we stood actually wasn't that bad, surprisingly. I figured a free concert like this would be insane... not to mention HTT isn't exactly an unknown band.

"I'm suprised we can even get this close to the stage!" I say to Momoko, hoping the superfan would have an explanation.

"That's cause we're an hour early, silly!" Momko replies quickly, before turning her eyes back to the stage in wait.

I stare at the girl in disbelief, then at Tanaka, who gives me a sheepish shrug. Looks like he was used to getting dragged around like this.

Okay, this wasn't exactly how I imagined I'd spend my free day. I was thinking less waiting, more... _anything_!

"Are you fucking shitting me?" I mumble in English, peering up at the hot summer sun. Why couldn't this concert have been indoors?

"Nope, not shitting you" Momoko replies, smiling. Her eyes didn't even bother meet mine as she delivered this slightly accented response, opting instead to search the stage ceaselessly for her idols.

Damn, this girl really makes me uneasy...

"I'm... gonna go get a drink." I say aloud, walking away from the couple. "You wanna come, Tanaka?"

Tanaka smiles at this, and goes to follow me, but he is stopped by Momoko grabbing a handful of his shirt. As she pulls him closer, my bespectacled friend sighs.

"Sorry, but Momoko wants to get on my shoulders so she can take better pictures..." Tanaka says, obviously a bit miffed.

Gee, I wonder who wears the pants in this relationship?

"The concert isn't even starting for an hour..." I reply, giving Momoko a questioning glare.

"Who knows how long you guys will be?" She answers, still not bothering to make eye contact. "I'm not taking any chances."

"Well... alright." I finish, walking off. "I'll try and be quick, Tanaka."

Forget uneasy, that girl makes me straight up scared...

* * *

After a bit of aimless walking, I finally managed come across a door into the shopping centre. The fact that I couldn't even read the kanji on the door made me feel more like a tourist then a former citizen. Guess my Japanese was more rusty than I thought...

If only Momoko wasn't so demanding, Tanaka might be able to help me...

The single, windowless door didn't look exactly inviting, being quite out of the way for a mall this size. I head inside anyway, craving air conditioning and a cool beverage too much at this point to give a shit.

Entering the building, I start wandering further into the complex. The hallways were littered with unmarked doors and offices, but were sadly lacking in vending machines. I suppose it made sense; this place didn't exactly look public...

Goddammit...

Pulling out my cellphone, I start to punch away at the keys, writing a fuming text to my friend.

_'Lost and thirsty, please send help!_' I type, accenting the text with a well placed sad face.

Waiting a moment for a reply, I jump slightly as I hear the echoing of an opening door. Looking around to see no one nearby, however, causes me to return my attention to my phone. Soon enough, it buzzes in reply.

'_Where are you?' _

Goddammit... again.

Hell if I know where I am; that's the problem!

"Just my luck..." I bemoan, looking around me desperately.

Upon turning full circle, I see that I am no longer alone. A man in a security uniform was currently staring at me from the end of the hallway.

"Hey you!" He calls out to me, jogging over. "What are you doing in here, gaijin?"

Nevermind... looks like my luck was about to get a lot worse.

"Nothing! I'm just... looking for a vending machine." I reply simply, raising my hands in surrender.

As the man gets closer, I see that he was built like a brick house. I mean, I'm no slouch myself; especially after all that manual labor back home. This guy, though, looked like he could take on three of me!

"You expect me to believe that?" The man says, slowing to a walk.

"...Yes?" I shrug.

This was the wrong answer apparently, as the man grabs my wrist, twisting it violently. I groan in pain as my phone falls to the floor.

"A creepy-lookin' foreigner like you, standing outside the HTT dressing room, with a camera phone?" The man replies mockingly. "What sort of idiot do you take me for?"

Hold on, _what dressing room?_

Looking to my left, I see that the door near me had a piece of paper on it, with 'HTT' written neatly, accented with hearts. The cutesy and childish design was unmistakably Yui's.

...What are the fucking _odds?_

"You're probably trying to snap some dirty pictures, aren't you?" The man adds, laughing, while twisting my arm further. "Well, not while I'm around you're not!"

I wince yet again from the pain. This guy was strong as hell; I could barely struggle back.

"I-It's okay! I didn't even _know_ that was the dressing room!" I reply, trying to look nonthreatening; not something im particularly good at.

The man's stern expression fails to budge an inch.

"Besides, I know the band! Just ask them!" I add desperately, wanting nothing more than to escape his death grip.

The security guard laughs harder then before.

"Now I _know_ you're pulling my leg!" He says, starting to drag me away. "Cmon, we're gonna go have a nice talk with the authorities..."

Oh god, anything but that!

As I try frantically to explain to the guard who I was, I am suddenly distracted by the sound of loud humming, coming from down the hallway.

Cranking my head back at the source of the noise, I feel a wave of relief rush over me as I see none other than Yui skipping towards us, headphones currently blasting music. She was taller, sure, but nothing much else seemed to have changed about her, as she seemed to be stuck in one of her usual airhead trances.

Soon enough, her eyes land on us two, finally acknowledging our dispute.

"Thank god, Yui!" I shout over to the girl, as the guard still tries to pull me way. "It's me, Conrad!"

As her eyes scan over us, I see a big smile form on her lips. Oh thank you, great airhead goddess Yui! Save me from this demon!

"Hello Security-san!" She waves happily at the guard, before she continues her walk towards the room. "Don't over-exert yourself!"

She... SHE DOESN'T RECOGNIZE ME?

_Why didn't I_ **shave?**

"Yui! It's me! Hey!" I continue to yell as she walks into the dressing room. My yelling was to no avail; I guess with her music blasting, she can't hear me...

As the door to the dressing room closes shut, so do my hopes of escaping this situation. Why me...

"I_ knew_ you were bluffing..." The guard says, grabbing my shirt collar. "Now stop fussing and come with me!"

"...Yeah, yeah" I repeat lazily, finally giving up. Just my luck, right?

Despite me now not putting up much of a fight, the guy didn't relent in his grip. He didn't like me, that's for sure.

"You've got pretty good Japanese for a gaijin, though." He chuckles victoriously. "I'll give you that much."

Sighing, I slap the man's arms like a wrestler tapping out.

"Could you take it easy?" I say, tapping again. "You really think I want to fight a meathead like you?"

Turning to me, he gives me a death glare.

"You have no right to complain, you creep." He rebuts, now pulling even harder. Guess he didn't like that...

As I reluctantly allow myself to be pulled away to god knows where, I frantically try to compose of a proper Japanese sentence to prove my innocence. Figures it would only take me a few hours after landing to get in trouble.

Typical Conrad...

* * *

After walking for a few minutes, the guard seemed to finally accept I wasn't about to run. Granted, I was still being pulled along like a child, but at the very least this meant his grip had loosened considerably.

"We're almost at the enrance. I'll be holding onto you until we can arrange for the authorities to pick you up." The guard finally breaks the silence.

"_Awesome._" I drawl sarcastically.

Yet again I find myself looking around for a friendly face. Unfortunately these hallways were as sparsely populated as ever...

...Or so I thought.

Two figures start to turn the corner ahead of us. As if he was angel descending from the heavens, one of them turned out to be none other than Yukio Hamada. I can't help but sigh in relief, despite the fact that the idol looked even more handsome than he did years before. Looks like I really had my work cut out for me.

Standing next to him, however, was a new face entirely. She was a middle aged women, wearing some very bland business attire. As they drew closer, I could see her face was adorned heavily with wrinkles, and her expression was about as stoic as one could get.

"What's wrong with you?" The guard calls to me, as he pulls me harshly towards him. "Get a move on!"

"Hold on a second, for Christ's sake!" I shout desperately. "I know that guy, just let me talk to him!"

Scoffing, he tugs yet again.

"Not this again... Just give it up already!" He responds, shaking his head heavily.

A sharp cough causes us to stop bickering. It appears the older woman had had quite enough of our spat. It was also quite clear that she commanded quite a bit of respect, as the guard immediately stiffened up upon seeing her face.

"Miss Nakamura!"

She looked less than impressed, to say the least.

"Satou-san. You mind telling me what's going on here?" She asks, crossing her arms.

The security guard fumbles a bit with his words, clearly put off by this woman's presence, for whatever reason.

"I-It's this pervert!" He begins, finally. "I found him trying to sneak into the girls' dressing room!"

"T-that's complete bullshit!" I shout, taken aback at his blatant lies. Before I can continue however, the man places his hand over my mouth.

"You can't speak to Miss Nakamura like that!" He scowls, giving me a death glare. "I-I'm just on my way to deal with him, ma'am. He'll be out of your hair soon enough!"

The woman sighs.

"Whatever. Just make it quick. I need you by the stage in 45 minutes." She commands.

"Right, of course." He responds simply. "Heh... This guy keeps saying he _knows _people. The band, even Yukio here. Can you believe it?"

You better believe it, you fucking asshole...

That's what I _want_ to say, at least. But this ape's hand was currently preventing me from spewing my choice profanities.

The woman looks disinterested, but turns to Yukio anyway. He was currently engrossed with his cellphone, doing god knows what.

"You know this guy, Yukio?" She asks, deadpan look on her face. She was quite casual in her speaking; it contrasted oddly with the way she was dressed.

Pulling his eyes away from his phone for once, Yukio looks at me strangely.

"Uh..." He starts, scanning me thoroughly. "I'm not going to lie, he actually looks kind of familiar."

Y'know, no offense to Yui, but I'm _so happy _to run into someone with a bit more... awareness.

"Are you serious?" The guard asks, looking at me bewilderingly. "This scruffy lookin' foreigner?"

"Yeah... I must be imagining things." Yukio shrugs, turning back to his phone, which was pretty much constantly buzzing and chiming.

Fucking... never mind.

"Thought so." The guard sighs, pulling once again at my arm. "Cmon' boy, let's go."

Despite my best efforts, we start slowly moving away from the pair. Looks like my last chance was slipping away...

Oh man, **_screw this_**. I've had enough of this crap...

Shaking my head violently, the mans hand finally leaves my mouth. As soon as I'm capable of speaking, I unload a verbal barrage on my old clubmate.

"Goddammit Yukio, It's **me**, Conrad!" I yell, voice cracking in desperation.

Turning around, Yukio's eyes widen considerably. It was like I could see his brain coming to terms with what I just said.

"I know you probably want to kick my ass, but could you help me out, man?" I continue, as I struggle yet again with the burly guard. "I didn't do anything wrong, I swear!"

In a matter of seconds, his expression turns from one of disbelief to clear anger. Narrowing his eyes, he shoves his phone into his pocket carelessly.

"Ignore him. I don't know anyone with that name." Yukio finally speaks, shaking his head.

Oh... that son of a _bitch_. I suppose this is one way of extracting vengeance.

He goes to walk away, but is stopped suddenly by the woman's hand, pushing him gently back.

"Hold on..." The woman says, turning around herself. "**_Conrad_**? You mean _you're_ the kid who Ritsu keeps bawling about?"

My body basically heaves in relief. Fucking _finally_...

Looking exasperated, she turns to Yukio.

"I know you have problems with this guy, Yukio, but were you really about to let him get a criminal record?" She asks, raising an eyebrow in a rare demonstration of emotion.

"He deserves it, after what he did to Ritsu..." Yukio mumbles, barely audible from where I stood.

"So dramatic, as always..." She complains, cracking her neck. "Satou-san. Release him, would ya?"

"Seriously?" The guard asks, clearly disappointed. "But... I don't understand-"

"It's not your prerogative to _understand_, Satou-san!" She responds sharply. "Now go get your affairs in order, and be at the stage on time!"

"Y-yes ma'am!" The man releases me quickly, before running off.

Dayum. This lady must really run the show around here... She was pretty intimidating, to be honest.

Oh well, it looked like I was finally free...

"Alright, Conrad. You're coming with me." The woman asks- er... _commands_, rather.

Okay, so I guess no freedom after all...

"O-okay." I reply sheepishly. I wasn't about to question her, especially after she just saved my ass.

_Unlike someone..._

As if in sync with my thoughts, she repeats the same order to Yukio, who looks less than pleased.

"Why? I don't want to deal with this asshole!" Yukio barks back.

"I think we both know that Conrad here is a _problem that needs fixing_." She hisses in return, stomping away, not even bothering to check if we would follow.

...I'm so fucked, aren't I?

* * *

I've been in my fair share of awkward situations... okay, I've been in _alot_ of awkard situations. But nothing, _nothing_, compared to this.

Sitting in this quiet office, with no one but this intimidating woman, and an old rival of mine (who, by the way, looks like he wants to strangle me.),I had to say I was drawing a blank as to how this atmosphere could be anymore chilling.

The periodic ticking of the clock on the wall was my only reminder that time was passing, as everything else in the room was practically frozen. Why the hell weren't they talking" While the woman seemed to be thinking deeply about something, Yukio was looking off into the corner, looking quite annoyed. The fact that he had yet to really acknowledge my presence, despite being together for a short while, really didn't bode to well.

Rummaging through her coat pocket, the woman finally moves, pulling a pack of cigarettes out from her pocket. After removing one for herself, she motions the box over to me.

"Want a smoke?" she asks, voice slightly muffled by the cig currently hanging out her mouth.

As much as that would help me relax, I opt out, still way to nervous to operate properly. I simply shake my head, and she shrugs in return.

Lighting, and taking a long drag from the cigarette. The woman sends me a cold stare.

"Okay. "She begins to speak, before one again pausing awkwardly.

"...okay?" I mimic her, feeling quit uneasy.

"Look, I'm not very good with words, so I'm just gonna say it." She continues, puffing the cigarette furiously. "I need you to leave Japan."

"..w-what?" I ask, understandably confused.

"And I mean** for good**, y'know." She adds, lazily. "None of this wishy-washy _bullshit_."

I cough awkwardly. This woman clearly didn't care for the expected tact of Japanese culture.

"Hold on..." I reply, not even sure where to begin. "W-who are you, again?"

The fact that I didn't even know this woman's name or role in all this, and yet she was already ordering me around, was throwing me for quite the loop.

"Oh. That's right, I didn't introduce myself..." The woman's eyes widen slightly, before narrowing yet again. "I'm Minami Nakamura. I'm from the talent agency that represents both _Hokago Tea Time_ as well as Yukio here."

"Okay..." I respond slowly. "I don't mean to rude, but... what problem do you have with me being here, exactly?"

Yukio scoffs loudly, I guess finally deciding to interject, after quite an extended silence.

"As if we even need a reason." He starts, glaring at me. "You think you can just come back to Ritsu, after abandoning her for _two years_?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you _help_ Ritsu get a hold of me?" I respond, still bitter that he practically abandoned me earlier. "If she hadn't contacted me, I wouldn't be here!"

"Oh, trust me, I know you _wouldn't be here_." Yukio replies, rolling his eyes. "You seem to be quite good at ignoring Ritsu. Besides... I helped her for _her sake_, not for a cheating bastard like you."

As much as I deserve that, I can't help but feel a little pissed. Yukio really knew how to get under my skin.

"Save me the lecture, man." I say, avoiding eyes with him. "The last thing I need is _you_ breathing down my back."

Standing up suddenly, Yukio's feet stomp heavily against the floor. He looks like he's about to go apeshit on me, but a raised hand from Nakamura causes him to sit back down, albeit begrudgingly.

"Anyway... I can travel where I want." I add, a little uneasy on the defensive. "Since when do I have to take orders from you?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Conrad, but earlier I might of well prevented you from being arrested for _trespassing_." Nakamura takes control of the conversation once again. "I'd say you owe me, no?"

I cringe. She was right. Despite my innocence, I have my doubts whether Japanese authorities would take it easy on me; have you _seen_ their conviction rates? Regardless, that didn't change that I had my own choices to make. Who says they could decide where I can and cant go?

"Okay.. but if you need me to leave Japan... then why didn't you just let me get arrested back there? I probably would've been deported; problem solved." I reply quizzically.

Hold on, what the fuck am I saying? The last thing I should be giving them is good reason to put me in the slammer.

"For the same reason you were stalking around the dressing room, no doubt." Nakamura states, a knowing smirk crawling onto her face.

"Uh... a vending machine?" I reply, quite stupidly.

"Vending machine?" Her face contorts considerably. "I meant _Ritsu._ What the hell are you talking about?"

"N-nothing!" I add quickly. "What about Ritsu?"

The two look at me like I'm from Mars. I could almost read on Nakamuras face: '_This_ is who I have to deal with?'

"What I'm saying is... Ritsu wouldn't be very happy If word got out that I let you get arrested." She explains, leaning back into her chair. "And trust me, her being happy is all that matters here."

"R-really?" I ask, confused as to why she had such a stake in Ritsu's well being. Were agents really this personally involved?

Nakamura pauses for a second, presumably to think.

"Well, that's not entirely true." She admits, scratching her head. "You see Conrad, outside, there are thousands of young men waiting to see HTT live, and a lot of them are practically _head over heels_ for our five girls."

I shift uncomfortably. I had a slight idea where she was going with this.

"Bringing men like yourself into the picture just complicates things." She shrugs, pulling another cigarette out from the box. "The girls are much more marketable when they are single. It gives the male fans _hope_."

I nod simply, trying to appear composed, though the exact opposite was practically begging to show itself. What kind of manipulative bullshit was this?

"It's been easy enough with the other girls; Mio and Azusa are too shy, Mugi seems disinterested in men, and Yui... well... I'm not really sure what goes on in that head of hers."

I cough violently at this, though it was more of a disguised laugh. Leave it to Yui to defy expectations.

"I didn't expect it, but Ritsu ended up being the problem. Now, it would be bad enough if she started dating some random Japanese guy, but a gaijin like _you_? That's a PR nightmare!" She finishes, lighting the cigarette, hands shaking slightly.

What does she mean _like me_...

"So what you're saying is, you need me out of the picture, so that those drooling fans outside can... keep a _pure image_ of Ritsu?" I ask, taken aback.

"Essentially, yes." Nakamura answers. "Besides, I'd sooner hand Ritsu over to Yukio than to someone like you. At least he's famous; celebrity couples can sell, after all."

Okay, _now_ I'm pissed.

"**Hand her over**? What gives you right to be so manipulative? Ritsu should be able to pick who she loves, not have it be based on... _business_!"

Nakamura simply shrugs at this. "My job is to make them as marketable as possible, and that's what I'm doing."

Reaching into her pocket, she pulls out a checkbook. I'm surprised that she carries it around with her, but I guess when you mean business, you mean business.

"Calm down, Conrad. I know I can't force you, so of course I'm going to _compensate_ you. Now, how much money do I need to get you back on a plane to America?"

"M-money?! This isn't about money!" I reply, shaking my head. "And goddamnit, I'm CANADIAN! Get it right!"

I can practically feel my blood boiling. Yukio, meanwhile, looked completely at ease with what was going on.

"Yukio! How can you even be remotely okay with this?! This isn't right; not for Ritsu, not for either of us!"

"How can you even speak about what's right for Ritsu at this point? Just look at you, you're a mess!" Yukio replies acidly, getting up from his seat yet again. "I _know_ what's best for Ritsu; To give her space while she grows as a musician, to _stay by her side_. To not abandon her for_ two fucking years_ over some stupid inferiority complex!" Yukio adds, now practically shouting.

"Ever since you left, things have been going fine between Ritsu and I... I'm not about to let some **stupid, failure of a human** get in my way!"

Clenching my fist, I too rise from my seat. I no longer felt like talking things out; the only thing I wanted right now was finally get a chance to give Yukio his just desserts, like I _always wanted to_.

"You're going to wish you didn't say that, asshole." I growl.

"What the hell are you two going on about?" Nakamura shouts, waving her checkbook in the air. "We need to talk business!"

Just as I take my first, resolute step towards Yukio, however, the door to the office swings wide open.

"Conrad!" A squealing voice calls out to me.

In a mere moment my anger dissipates, as Ritsu runs over to give me a tight hug.

I suppose this is one way to diffuse the situation... Nice timing, Ritsu.

"I can't believe you're visiting early! You should have told me!" Ritsu smiles widely at me. "I would have rolled out the red carpet for you!"

"Er... uh..." I start, looking around the room. Nakamura had already hidden the checkbook away, while Yukio was giving me something akin to a death glare.

"W-whats going on, guys?" Ritsu asks awkwardly, completely unaware of the tense atmosphere. Ritsu awkwardly separates from me, finally realizing how close we were.

"I'll be at the stage, Ritsu." Yukio responds simply, walking towards the door. Before leaving, however, he plants a kiss on Ritsu's cheek, and sends me an icy glare.

Rubbing her cheek sheepishly, Ritsu shifts over clumsily as the other Keionbu members pour into the room.

The girls don't seem to recognize me right away, that is, except for Azusa, whose face explodes into a smile.

"Conrad!" Azusa shouts. "It _is_ you! Welcome back!"

I think out of everyone, Azusa seems to have changed the least; she was still the same ol' shorty. Though I'm sure she would kill me if she heard me say that.

"T-that's Connchan?! What a shock!" Yui shouts, eyes wide in disbelief, as she points at my face. "I'm sorry! I didn't realize..."

"Honestly, Yui!" Azusa says, laughing. "The only difference is the beard... you could have prevented this whole mess!"

"Yeah... hold on." I interject, thought still a bit off guard from waves of nostalgia. "How did you guys know I was here?"

Mio walks up next to Ritsu, and sends me a welcoming smile. She was as pretty as ever, but she the way she carried herself seemed a bit more confident too. I guess showbiz will do that to a girl.

"Ritsu went looking for you the moment Yui mentioned there was a 'weird bearded foreigner being arrested' outside. We just followed along..." Mio replies, looking quite apologetic. "Sorry about that. Our security doesn't mess around."

I can't help but cringe at the fact that Ritsu immediately assumed the guy being apprehended was me. Then again, I _do _have a unfortunate history of getting myself into trouble, so I can't exactly blame her.

"You should have seen Ritsu. She was practically skipping around, she was so excited..." Azusa says, snickering.

"S-shut up. You guys were excited too..." Ritsu mumbles, blushing slightly.

I cant help but feel a little flattered. Ritsu seems to have it in her mind that I was trying to surprise her... I don't really feel like telling her I ended up here by sheer luck. In fact, the last thing I wanted to do today was have to meet everyone early...

"Anyway Conrad, you should have expected this!" Ritsu starts again, this time donning her more usual persona (i.e criticizing me). "You should have cleaned yourself up; no one can recognize you now!"

"_You_ could have recognized me..." I reply guiltily. "Besides, you said I look handsome like this..."

Yui starts to snicker at this, and Azusa cant help but join in.

"Really, Ritsu?" Mio asks, raising an eyebrow at this. "You sure have strange tastes..."

"S-shut up! I-I didn't say that!" Ritsu frantically defends herself.

"Yeah you did!" I reply, smiling. It was nice to be poking fun at her again; It felt just like old times. "You even said it was the reason that I was able to get with those other girl...s..."

I cough awkwardly at my faux pas, and the other girls pretty much lose their smiles. Looks like I was a bit naive to think it was like 'old times'. Things had changed after all, and as much as I'd like to joke around as usual, I've done some pretty shitty things since I left Japan. And given the fact that the girls are so close, they probably knew all about it too...

As if on cue, Mugi emerges from behind Yui. She had been eerily quiet this whole time, not even greeting me. That being said, I could easily pick her out of the group cause of her blonde hair.

To my dismay, She was wearing a expression of anger and disappointment. This seemed a bit more akin to what I was expecting...

Did somebody get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Or... wait...

_**"Cheat on Ritsu, and I'll make you swallow a thousand needles."**_ The words she wrote years ago suddenly come back to me.

Well... this is just great... can't say I don't deserve this, though. I had fair warning after all.

"Uhm..." I start awkwardly, trying to think of something to break the silence.

Ritsu, clearly understanding the situation, claps her hands decisively.

"Okay you guys, it's time to leave us alone!" Ritsu announces, putting her hand on my shoulder. "I need to talk to Conrad about something important."

Gulp.

"Aww... but I kind of want to talk more with Conrad..." Azusa says, frowning slightly. "It's been so long, after all."

"She's right, girls. You're supposed to be preparing for the concert!" Nakamura cuts in, ushering the girls out of the room. This whole time she'd been watching warily, but not interjecting; thank god.

Most of the girls respond immediately, except for Yui.

"Eh? But what about Ritsu~?" Yui pouts, looking back at the aforementioned girl.

"I think this is a special enough occasion to allow it." The woman smiles at Ritsu, who then bows thankfully at her manager. "Just make sure you're onstage on time!"

I had no clue what Nakamura's motives could be at this point. Just earlier, she was trying so hard to get me away from Ritsu. I wasn't about to give up a chance to speak with Ritsu, however, so I shrug it off.

As the last of the girls left the room, Nakamura turns to me finally.

"Enjoy your time with Ritsu, Conrad." She says, smirking. "But I want speak with you after the concert, alright? Our discussion isn't finished."

I nod bitterly, as she slams the door behind her. As much as I'd like to argue with her some more, I didn't want to drag Ritsu into this mess, at least not yet.

Besides, the fact that I was now alone with Ritsu pushed any stress I had away to the corners of my psyche; something she did with little effort on her part. And for someone as anxiety-ridden as myself, this certainly helped remind me why I had fallen for her in the first place.

"What does she mean by discussion?" Ritsu asks me, looking quite confused. "Why were you talking with Miss Nakamura, anyway?"

"I'm not entirely sure myself." I lie through my teeth. "I think she's just worried about you."

"Typical. She's always on my case, that woman." Ritsu shakes her head, shrugging. Given that woman's demeanor, that sounds pretty accurate.

"Whatever." Ritsu finishes grabbing a hold of my jacket. I instantly tense up as a result.

Pulling me over to a chair, she sits me down. I don't offer much resistance, practically captivated by her presence alone.

"Be right back~" She smiles mischievously, leaving the room quite suddenly.

As much as I'd like to ask what was up, I decide to be patient and wait for whatever plan my old girlfriend was cooking up. To be quite frank, the uncertainty was killing me...

* * *

"Just what the heck are you doing?" I ask Ritsu, as she drapes a tablecloth over me.

She shakes her head, and wags her index finger playfully.

"You really can't tell?" She laughs. "I'm going to return you to normal!"

"Back to n-normal?" I ask, dumbfounded. "Do you mean, like, psychotherapy, or hypnotism?"

Ritsu gives me the ever-familiar look; the one where she is clearly wondering how I manage to function on a day-to-day basis. She proceeds put more cloths on the floor around me.

"You're weird, Conrad." She replies dismissively, rummaging through the bag she had brought in the room just moments ago. "I'm just going to give you a haircut!"

Ritsu pulls a pair of scissors out of the bag, and begins to size up my head. Almost instinctively, I stand up from the chair.

"_What_? You don't know how to cut hair!" I protest. "Besides, we're in an _office_, there's not even a mirror!"

Ritsu rolls her eyes, and pushes me back into the chair.

"Aw, cmon, it can't be that hard. Anyway, The girls are using the dressing room so we'll have to make do." She reassures me, pushing me roughly back into the chair. "Besides, you don't need a mirror. Just leave everything to me!"

I stare at her, quite unsure about this. Despite my apprehension, however, I decide to surrender.

"O-okay..." I reply, relaxing into the chair. Hair grows back, after all, and time spent with Ritsu was no longer something as guaranteed.

Ritsu smiles gently, and starts to slowly but surely chop off some of my hair. It was clear I wasn't the only one who was nervous.

The room grew silent, but it wasn't eerily so. It was comforting, in a way, to be tended to like this by someone you love. The way she carefully chose where to cut, and how I could see her thinking hard about what she was doing.

This silence also gave me time to think about what had just happened. Particularly, I had a chance to take in what Yukio said to me... now that I wasn't blinded by childish anger.

I'm sure from his perspective, I was completely betraying his trust. After all, he had encouraged me years ago to make-up with Ritsu when things went south. I knew already how much Ritsu meant to him, and how he despised my bad habit of deciding things on my own. Even so, he swallowed his pride and lent me a hand. And now, here I was, trying to crawl back into Ritsu's life after leaving her in the dark yet again, this time for _two years straight_. He was probably tired of me being so indecisive.

And to be painfully honest with myself, he was right. I didn't have much of a right to come back like this. I should have stuck to my guns, and kept my distance from Ritsu like I had originally planned. After all, Yukio has been a unfailing emotional crutch for Ritsu all this time. Meanwhile, someone like me was waltzing back into the picture, and taking all the glory.

But what was I supposed to do? Ritsu herself came to Canada in search of me. I know she told me she wasn't looking to get back together, but for one reason or another, she cared enough to grab hold of me and try to rekindle our relationship. I know how hard that must have been for her...

What reason could she be doing this, after all I've done? Was it really just the reunion?

Goddamnit, all this thinking was hurting my head. Meanwhile, Ritsu looked quite carefree, though clearly concentrating on not fucking up my haircut. She wanted to prove me and my nay-saying wrong, no doubt.

"I... I thought you didn't mind my new look." I say finally, wanting to free myself my racing thoughts. It was too late, anyway, as my head already felt considerably lighter from her cutting, though I had no clue how It looked now.

Ritsu frowns slightly at this, and seems to get stuck on a thought. Putting down the scissors, she sighs.

"I don't." She replies eventually. "But... no one at the reunion will recognize you!"

She pulls out a pink razor from the bag, and tells me to hold still. I want to lament the fact that she was using female products to shave me, but I decide that was a bit childish. Instead, I send her a warm smile as she lathers my face with shaving cream. She blushes slightly, and flicks some at me playfully.

"Well, it's not like it matters." I reply, shrugging. "I'm only here for one more day. It's not like they would have to had to get used to it."

"That's true, I guess." Ritsu says, dragging the razor carefully across my cheek. She pauses yet again.

"I guess Scruffy Conrad just isn't the Conrad I remember, y'know?"

"_Scruffy_ Conrad, eh?" I chuckle. "What's wrong with him?"

"Well... _scruffy Conrad_ is the guy who hid himself away for two years, right?" Ritsu laughs. "The guy who looked like his baths were few and far between!"

"Hey! I took care of myself!" I pout. "...Sorta."

"Just sayin'!" She laughs yet again, rubbing a towel on my face, and putting down the razor.

Walking over to the bag again, she pulls out a small mirror.

"Tadaa~!" She sings dramatically, bringing the mirror to my face. "We match now!"

Looking at my reflection, I see that she had completely decimated my usually long bangs, leaving my forehead exposed completely. As a result, my odd features were put on display much more than ever before.

"W-w-what the hell did you do to my bangs?" I respond, eyes wide in shock. "This isn't 'the Conrad you remember' either!"

"I know... but I think this might be a good change!" Ritsu replies defensively, ruffling my now much shorter locks.

"How do you figure that?" I ask, bringing my own hands up to check myself. "I look so weird..."

"Because... maybe _this_ Conrad won't have to hide himself away anymore." She tells me gently, handing me the mirror. Positioning herself behind me, she smiles wide. "Maybe _this_ Conrad will have a bit more confidence in himself!"

I can't help but blush heavily, something quite apparent as I can see it happening in my reflection.

"Myself, huh?" I say, looking at my reflection, feeling a bit exposed.

"Yeah, the Conrad that I love, y'know." She replies, smiling, though I can almost see her trip over what she just said. "Er..."

"You mean **_used_** to love... right?" I ask, looking back at my ex-girlfriend.

"I..." she starts, her eyes search around the room. "I mean..."

Soon enough, I can see her eyes focus clearly on something. And it sure was _something,_ as her eyes went wide as saucers.

"OH SHIT!" she practically screams. "I NEED TO GET TO THE STAGE!"

Turns out, she was looking at the clock.

Gathering her things frantically, Ritsu sends me a quick bow of apology.

"I'm so sorry, Conrad, but I have to go!" She says, running in place in the doorframe. "You can wait until after the live, right?"

Before I can even respond, she bids me farewell, practically sprinting down the hall.

I was left alone, in an office, still wearing a tablecloth and covered in my own hair. On top of that, Ritsu had failed to answer the question that would have taken a huge load off of my mind. Needless to say, it was a less than ideal situation.

What the hell am I going to do? What about Nakamura, what about _Yukio_?

More confidence in myself, huh...

I look in the mirror again. I guess... I don't look that weird.

I think it was about time for me to take charge of my life. Not for anyone else, but for myself.

Screw Nakamura, she has no right to manipulate Ritsu. And Yukio, I'm not going to let him guilt trip me into accepting this bullshit. Ritsu had every right to live her life how she sees fit, and I'm not going to abandon her, not this time.

Well... maybe just one more time.

Sorry Ritsu, but you're going to have to wait till the reunion. I have a feeling I'm not the only one who needs time to think things through, and I sure as hell wasn't going to wait around here for Yukio to ambush me.

Besides, I have some things to take care of, thanks to you.

I... I think it's time to pay my dad a visit...

* * *

_Alright, everyone. So I'm aware this chapter is considerably longer than any other i've written so far. PLEASE let me now if it's too long, because I don't want to bore you._

_But yeah, hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter. I really tried to flesh it out and make it interesting. _

_As always if you have any critiques, comments or requests, leave a review or send me a PM._

_Thanks for reading, everyone!_


	18. Hedgehog's Dilemma

**_Long time no see, reader._**

**_I told myself I could churn out a chapter pretty easily, and finish this story in no time. I remember thinking I could have been finished by October of last year, but man, that certainly didn't happen._**

**_At the very least, I can tell you that the time I've spent between these chapters was only due to me trying to really produce the ending I feel the story needs. As much as I don't want you guys to wait, I hope you understand that it's for the story's sake._**

**_I had a lot of trouble thinking of how exactly I wanted the story to end. Finally, I'm ready to do so. The last and final chapter of 'The Forehead Girl' should be coming out in the coming couple weeks. Lets hope my time predictions are a bit more accurate this time, eh? _**

**_Anyway, because I took so long, I plan to also release a bonus prequel chapter, out of some older material I never got around to using. I'm gonna flesh it out and make it a new chapter that takes place earlier in the story. It wont be anything major, mostly being a fun 'filler' chapter that I think you guys would find amusing. You wont be missing any important story stuff if you don't feel like going back and reading it. Just think of it as my way of saying sorry for the wait._**

**_Anyway, I've talked more than enough, so please, read on. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Every review I receive is useful and deeply appreciated, so feel free to leave any thoughts or criticisms you might have in a review; I take all of them into account while writing._**

**To GearUnlocked:**

**_Thanks for the conversation and support you offered me! Sorry for completely lying about when I'd be finished. I hope this chapter is to your liking._**

* * *

Recently, I've found hotel rooms to be a bit... depressing.

What? Is that a weird place to start? Whatever.

It just seems that no matter how high-class of a room Nakamura-san manages to book for us, I'm never able to relax like I could back home.

I mean, I'd be able to put up with it if we were travelling like usual, but we were still in friggin' Tokyo! Just what the heck are we doing in a hotel room? Our houses (and beds, more importantly) were barely a couple train stops away. This is goddamn unnecessary...

As much as I like to complain, though, I knew all this was just Nakamura-san trying to keep us close at hand; for simplicity's sake, I guess. Yui had slept in one too many times, and now it practically felt like our manager was playing _babysitter_ as well. Kind of embarrassing, frankly.

Anyway... no matter how often I stay in these damn hotel rooms, I still have trouble sleeping. Judging by the fresh faces of my roommates, though, I might just be the weird one.

Then again, It also didn't help that Conrad paid me a surprise visit yesterday, only to leave just as quickly as he had shown up. I got so worked up about us having some time alone, and that idiot decided to leave again with nothing but a _note_!

I didn't even have to search through my bag to remember its contents:

"_**I've got some business to take care of, so I'll see you at the reunion, Ritsu! P.S, thanks for the haircut."**_

Business? You know, for such a clumsy guy, Conrad sure liked to be mysterious... It doesn't suit him at all...

Wait, what was I even talking about? Oh, right; Hotel rooms being _stupid_.

It's weird. Back when we were in Sakuragaoka, sleeping together as a group was always fun and exciting. We would always stay up late, joke around, have pillow fights... but nowadays, with all the travelling we've been doing with the band, being together like this has become more like second-nature. As soon as we got back to our rooms last night, we were all too exhausted for any craziness; everyone went to sleep right away.

Or, _everyone else_ seemed to, at least. I, meanwhile, couldn't catch a wink.

You know, it's not even just our sleeping habits that have changed. Ever since things got serious with the band, things have just been way more calm and... well, boring. I'm not really sure it's because we're older, or if we just get too tired from all the work we've been doing. To be honest, _either one_ was pretty sad to think about.

Then again, Nakamura _had_ given us the option to sleep in separate rooms; the fact that we still choose to stick together goes to show things haven't changed _that_ much, thankfully.

I know I sound spoiled and all, and trust me, I'm stoked that we've made it this far with our music... it's just, this isn't exactly how I imagined things would go. I guess that's all part of growing up, though.

It was now early in the morning, and we were waiting for Nakamura-san to show up. By _we_, I mean Mio and Mugi, who were with me in our room. Yui and Azusa were still next door. Yui probably wouldn't be up until it was absolutely necessary, as is usual with her. I'm sure at this very moment, Azusa is trying _so_ hard to get Yui out of bed early for once; a waste of effort, if you ask me.

I can't really blame Yui, though; I'd be sleeping too, if I _could_. After our concert yesterday, we were whisked away to an interview, then a signing... or was it signing first, then the interview?

...Jeez, I can't even remember! I'm so damn exhausted...

"Ritsu?" A voice calls out.

"H-huh?" I reply, though I'm not even sure who said it.

"I said, what's with the dark circles under your eyes?" _Mio_ asks me. "Did you not get much sleep?"

I turn to her quickly, trying my best to shake myself free from my thoughts. I was _totally_ listening this whole time, don't worry about it!

"Uh, yeah..." I reply, trying my best to smile. "You know me and hotel rooms... hehe."

Mio and Mugi looked at each other, but don't look very convinced. That laugh _was_ a little forced...

"Are you... worried about Conrad-san?" Mugi asks, her own smile looking a bit forced too.

Sheesh, Mugi-chan likes to go straight to the point, huh?

Well, I guess this was to be expected. Ever since Conrad showed up yesterday, I could tell that the others really want to talk to me about him. Conrad had become something of a taboo topic ever since he left, I guess out of concern for me. It's not like talking about him would crush my fragile heart or anything, but dammit I'm just not the type to get all gushy about my feelings! Now that that idiot was back, though, I was always on edge knowing that I could only avoid addressing the elephant in the room for so long.

And... it seems we were about to address it right now.

**_Yay._**

"W-what makes you think that?" I say, looking out the hotel window. I tired my best to plaster my face with the innocence of a child; something that was a lot more effective years ago.

Mio shakes her head and sighs.

"You really think we can't tell, after we've been friends for so long?" She says to me. "You've been acting all distant, ever since he showed up. Why don't you just tell us what's up, Ritsu?"

My two friends were staring intensely at me; Why do I feel like I'm being interrogated?

"Well.. what's there left to say?" I answer, sighing. "I'm just glad I managed to drag that idiot back here in time for the reunion..."

Mugi raises her eyebrows; a pretty noticeable act when it's her...

"But Ritsu... you said Conrad's just going to leave again when the class reunion is over." She presses me again. "Why go to all that trouble just to... open old wounds?"

Old wounds? I _guess_ that's one way of putting it. That's not really how I see it, though.

I don't answer right away, but I can see that Mio and Mugi aren't going to drop this anytime soon.

"Especially after what he's done, right?" Mugi adds, her eyes sparkling with determination.

I guess that's true. Conrad really didn't really make things easier for me after he left Japan... doubly so when he cut off contact out of nowhere.

"I-I don't really see the point in getting caught up in the past..." I reply, shaking my hand dismissively. I told myself I wasn't about to play the blame-game with him; I was past that now.

"Besides..." I continue. "Conrad told me once that I meant more to him than just a girlfriend, and I feel the same way. You guys might think I'm still hung up on him, but we're just _friends _now!"

Mugi's fiery eyes continue to burn, and she looks like she has a lot to say. Ever since I told her about that girl at Conrad's apartment, she's been telling me to forget about him move on. But... does moving on really mean I have to forget about him completely? That just too cruel...

"Ritsu..." Mio begins, looking at me with suspicious eyes. "You keep saying stuff like that... but when I saw how happy you were when Conrad showed up yesterday, I can't help but feel like you _do_ still have feelings for him."

"Of course I still have feelings for him!" I reply, a little too quickly.

I can feel my cheeks flaring up. I hate talking about this stuff...

"I just... I just don't think the feelings are _romantic_ anymore." I whisper, cringing a bit at the soppy language.

Mio still doesn't look like she believes me. Yeesh, it's like she can see right through me...

"I _think_. Yeah." I mumble uselessly, as if that would convince anyone.

Mugi sighs. That's probably the last thing she wanted to hear.

"But Ritsu, how can you still be unsure when he's been so selfish?" She shakes her head. "Every time you put your faith in him, he's only ever hurt you in return! What makes you think this time will be any different?"

"I... I have to agree with Mugi..." Mio adds, quietly. "I'm glad Conrad is back and all, but you really need to be careful, Ritsu... I don't want to see you hurt again."

Jeez... seeing them so serious like this is making me uncomfortable; and that's ignoring the fact that my _love life_ is in the spotlight like this... I wanna puke.

"Can we _please_ stop talking about Conrad?" I say, rolling my eyes. "I just wanted everyone back together for the class reunion, okay? And _everyone_ includes Conrad, whether you guys like it or not!_"_

Mio and Mugi look at bit surprised at my frustration. I know I'm being a bit defensive here, but can't I just do my own thing without being _coddled_ like this? Ergh...

"Besides... If you two had spent even a _fraction_ of the time I did getting to know Conrad, I don't think you two would be so against this!" I sigh, folding my arms in frustration.

"Well..." Mugi starts, looking over at Mio. "Why don't you enlighten us about him?"

Mio nods hevily.

"Yeah, I'm actually a bit curious too, admittedly" She adds, smiling slightly.

"Curious? About what..." I begin to ask.

Luckily for me, though, our room door swings open just in time to deaden the conversation. Azusa-chan soon comes walking in with a very sleepy Yui in tow. Yui's hair was still sticking out on all ends; it was pretty clear she had _just_ gotten out of bed. Azusa didn't look that much better either, but at least she looked satisfied. It was probably because she had actually gotten Yui dressed and in our room before Nakamura had shown up; something that is pretty rare, to be honest.

Azusa tries desperately to hold Yui back as she makes a beeline towards our still unmade beds. Yui makes it eventually though, and now looks like she's about to return to dreamland.

Azusa sighs heavily, but still gave her usually formal greeting. It's weird that no matter how long she's been with us, Azusa never seemed to really loosen up around us; that might just be her proper personality, though.

As Azusa takes her own seat on the bed, I notice that I'm not the only one who had trouble sleeping; she had her own dark circles accenting her brown eyes. I kind of want to ask her why she looks so exhausted, but I wasn't really enjoying the spotlight earlier, so I decide to spare her the questions. I suppose it's just a side effect of rooming with Yui; she's like a parasite of energy... if parasites were adorable.

"So... why is everyone so quiet?" Azusa continues, as her greetings were returned without much energy.

I give a sharp look at Mio and Mugi. I swear to god you two, if you say _anything_ about Conrad I-

"I-I'm not really sure." Mio responds, shrugging.

Thank God...

"Wasn't Ritsu was about to tell us a story about Conrad?" Mugi puts a finger to her chin, her eyes glistening innocently.

MUGI! You... daughter of a...

"I... I was?" I angrily force out, between clenched teeth. "Since when did this turn into _story time_?"

Yui, who I thought was already catching some z's, perks up suddenly.

"Eh~? Story time?" Yui smiles, her eyes barely open. "I wanna hear, Ricchan!"

"A-a story about Conrad?" Azusa adds, tilting her head. "Why? What about?"

"A story of redemption, perhaps?" Mugi chuckles.

I didn't promise _that_... Jeez, now everyone in the room is staring at me...

"Fine... but don't expect some super gushy story or something. I can't deny that Conrad messed up, but you have to understand where he was coming from." I explain, shaking my head. "Conrad may have seemed like a pretty easygoing guy, but he... has some issues."

Yui's playful smile fades into a slight frown.

"Eh? What do you mean, 'issues'?" She asks, looking concerned.

"Well... how do I put this..." I begin, before taking a deep breath. "He's very... _self-critical_."

Everyone in the room seems as confused as ever. I guess I should elaborate, huh..

"I think it's healthy to take yourself down a notch sometimes; I mean, nobody likes a narcissist." I continue, waving a hand dismissively. "But Conrad takes that principle _way _too far. It's like he's his own worst enemy, I swear."

"Was Conrad really like that?" Mio asks, looking a little lost in thought. "From what I remember, he was a pretty normal guy."

"That's what I'm saying, Mio." I reply, pointing at my friend. "He puts up a good front, but Conrad had more than his share of demons. I spent plenty enough time around him to know that."

"I don't like the way this story seems to be going..." Azusa remarks, frowning. "But if it could help us understand Conrad, I really think you should share it with us, Ritsu."

Story, huh? Thinking back, a whole bunch of moments come to mind. It wasn't uncommon for Conrad to beat up on himself, especially once things turned sour for him with school... but there was that one time where things _really_ went south.

...

Can't say I'm exactly thrilled to be sharing this sort of story with them, but... if Conrad isn't going to reach out for more help, then maybe I should.

"Alright, well..." I answer finally, shifting uncomfortably on the bed. "This was a few years back, on Tanabata."

* * *

"_So..." Conrad announces, dragging his feet into our small room._

"_You mind telling me how exactly we ended up here?" He asks me, looking around nervously. He sits himself down on the bed, fidgeting all the while. Even the room's ambient lighting and soft sheets couldn't mask the fact that we were in a pretty seedy situation. _

_Walking over to him, I can't help but sigh. Pointing over at the plastic bag sitting ominously on the edge of the bed, Conrad groans in comprehension._

"_You tell me, mister convenience store condoms." I say, giving him one hell of a glare._

_Conrad smiles guilty. _

"_I know, I know..." He replies, glancing at the floor. "But a... a l-love hotel? Really?"_

_Looking around the room myself, I feel some of my own embarrassment surface. We didn't even need the condoms, as two were already sitting on top of the bed, letting us know all too well what the purpose of this establishment was. I don't really know how things ended up like this either, but at least I can say it wasn't my idea!_

_Sitting on the bed next to him, I-_

* * *

"H-h-hold on! A **love hotel**?!" Mio interrupts my story, her face red as a tomato "You mean you two had s-s-s-s-s-s"

Wait for it...

"Sekkusu!" Yui yells, putting her arm around Mio. "How romantic!"

...I don't care if we're in our early twenties; hearing that word come out of Yui's mouth will forever be strange to me.

"Yui, quiet down!" Mio covers Yui's mouth frantically. "And **you**, Ritsu! You never told me about _that_!"

"I didn't?" I chuckle, smiling innocently. "Is it really that suprising? I mean, we _are_ talking about the guy who brought condoms to our training camp, right?"

Mio quiets down, blushing slightly.

Yeesh. _This_ is why I never told my best friends what happened that night back at the clubroom; some things are just better left unsaid, y'know?

"I thought you were trying to show us Conrad's good side, Ritsu..." Mugi says, looking a bit concerned. "So far, this story doesn't sound like it's going to change any minds."

"I-It sounds **shameless**!" Mio cuts in, her face still beet red.

I can feel my own face heat up at her accusation.

"I-it's not like that!" I shout, waving my arms frantically. "You really thing I'm going to tell a story like _that_? I'm not some kind of exhibitionist!"

"Sekkusu!" Yui shouts again, right in Mio's ear.

Mio shrieks in return, covering her ears.

"S-stop that Yui!"

Somehow, I'm reminded of barnacles.

"Uh, guys?" Azusa cuts in, ending our little spat. "Can't we just let Ritsu get on with her story? I mean, we're all adults here, right?"

The room goes silent, as we all can't help but stare at her. Azusa tenses up as a result, blushing a bit.

"...why is it that our Kouhai always ends up being the most mature?" Mio mutters, sighing.

"A-anyway..." I continue, wanting nothing more than to put this strange discussion behind us.

* * *

_LIKE I WAS SAYING, I can't help but roll my eyes at him._

"_What, were you expecting us to do this at __**my**__ place? I'm sure my family would really appreciate that, Conrad."_

_Conrad's eyes widen, and he blushes heavily._

"_Fuck... that'd be awkward." He chuckles, looking away from me._

"_You think?" I reply, laughing too. _

_As our laughter slowly fades away, we sit there in silence. I don't know about him, but I had no idea what to do with myself right now. We had only done this sort of thing once before, and to be honest, I don't know where I got the courage that night to..._

_Looking back over at my boyfriend, his eyes were darting nervously around the room._

_Oh right. It was only due to our cluelessness that things got as far as they did last time. I still remember standing naked in front of him, while he explained to me just how much I had misunderstood his "flirting". I guess we had just gotten so far at that point that even our awkwardness couldn't get in the way. _

_You know, I __**still**__ can't believe we actually did it in the clubroo-_

* * *

"Ritsu?" Mio asks me, noticing that my story had dropped off suddenly. "Is something wrong?"

"N-nothing!" I reply quickly, smiling.

_Good god_ that was close. The reaction to just the sex part was bad enough; if they knew _where_ Conrad and I had done the deed... I'm not really sure I could look them in the eye anymore.

"I... I still can't believe we did it. We did it _so __very far away from the clubroom_, the one place we were... comfortable together!" I correct myself.

The other girls give me strange looks.

"Okay..." Mio says, clearly confused. "Go on."

* * *

_Anyway, regardless of how things went last time, what was happening in this room __**right now**__, was a completely different story. From the moment I gave him shit about his purchase back at the convenience store, we both had a good idea where things were heading tonight. It was just a matter of one of us initiating._

_Looking back at Conrad again, I see that he had not budged, currently having an unusual preoccupation with this hotels choice of wallpaper._

_Yeesh. I guess it's my job again to initiate. This is so friggin embarrassing..._

_Leaning over to Conrad, I place my hand on his leg. Conrad jumps a bit at my touch, locking his now wide eyes with mine._

"_I'm really glad we got to spend this week together." I say, smiling at him. "I know I don't say this a lot but... I missed you while you were gone."_

_Conrad's expression turns to a more guilty kind._

"_I-I know." He replies, frowning. "I'm sorry." _

_Whoops, and here I was trying to be romantic..._

_I press my forehead against his, smiling._

"_Don't worry about it, Conrad." I say, moving my open mouth towards his. Maybe this will shut him up, hehe._

_Conrad pulls away from me, his eyes now glued to the ground._

"_Wait."_

"_Conrad?" I begin, backing off myself. "What's wrong?"_

"_I... I can't help it, Ritsu." He answers. "Just look at what's happening here."_

_I smile._

"_It's okay to be embarrassed." I reassure him._

"_It's not embarrassment. It's... it's just, I've been thinking..." He continues, putting even more distance between us._

_Well, that's not a good sign. He had the exact same expression on from earlier tonight, when he was..._

"_I'm... so pathetic." He finishes, shaking his head._

_...beating himself up. Not his again; just when I thought we had a moment to just... be together._

"_The only reason we're in this creepy love hotel is because I can't keep it in my pants, and I don't even have the balls to initiate!" He continues, rubbing his eyes. "__**This**__ is what I meant when I said you deserve better..."_

"_It's okay, Conrad. It's not like you forced me into this... I want to be with you too!" I interrupt, putting my hand on his shoulder. _

"_But, I-it's not okay, Ritsu!" He shouts suddenly, shrugging off my hand. "What if someone saw us walk inside this place? What would your fans think if they knew you were sleeping with a guy like me..."_

"_A 'guy like you'? What are you-" I try to stop him yet again, but he clearly had no plans to end his ranting._

"_And Christ Ritsu, the last time we did this we didn't even use a condom! What if you got pregnant? I can't believe I even let you risk something like that!" Conrad keeps going, standing up from the bed. "How could I have been so __**stupid**__?" _

"_Conrad-" I try yet again to get a word in._

"_And all this risk for what? So I can keep goofing off in Canada, working a minimum wage job while you stay here, waiting patiently for me to get my shit together? I can't even manage that much, because I'm too fucking stupid to even stay in school! You'll just keep being lonely, while I can barely even make enough money to visit you once in a blue moon! How the __**fuck**__ can I face your family like that? How can I face MINE? I can't-"_

_Standing up from the bed, I grab Conrad's shoulders, shaking him violently._

"_CONRAD" I yell. "__**CALM. **__**DOWN**__."_

_Conrad locks eyes with me. I couldn't read whatever crazy mix of emotions that he was putting on display right now. One part that stood out, though, was fear._

"_I-I don't know what to do, Ritsu..." He replies finally, clearly holding back tears. "I'm so sorry."_

"_It's okay..." I reply simply, as he buries his face into my shoulder, letting out all sorts of pent up stress that I didn't even know he was enduring. _

"_It's __**not**__ okay..."_

* * *

Our hotel room fills with a solemn silence, as I finish my story less than smoothly.

"I had no idea he was so..." Mio starts, looking at me. "Conflicted."

"That's putting it nicely." I reply, shaking my head. "He got worked up enough to just... shut himself away from his problems. It's not normal for someone to be that insecure; even his Dad wasn't able to keep track of him."

"That's quite unhealthy." Mugi adds, frowning. "Isolating yourself is the exact opposite of what one should do in that situation."

I nod, smirking.

"No kidding. I'm not sure Conrad was ever comfortable with opening up to others, though. I think he hid himself away because he was afraid of causing everyone trouble; that idiot. I wish I could have told him how ridiculous that is, but before I knew it, he had already cut off contact."

Though quiet, I could tell my friends were thinking back to when Conrad was around.

"I know things weren't easy for him, but what can you do when he made that choice for himself?" Mugi wonders, looking a bit conflicted. "It seems to me that Conrad needs to find some confidence. You might be able to be that confidence _for_ him, Ritsu, but it might be best for him to find it on his own..."

I take a moment to consider her words. Seems a bit cruel, sure, but maybe we're not doing each other any favors by trying to prolong a relationship that already fell apart.

"I think you might be right, Mugi." I reply eventually, sighing. "That's why I'm so worried, really. Let's say we actually manage to work things out. If we were to get back together, whose to say the same problems to happen all over again? As much as I'd like for all this to work out, what if things just weren't meant to be between us?"

Mugi nods, putting her hand on my shoulder.

"It's understandable to have doubts. I personally don't think Conrad is ready to be in a relationship just yet; I think it's best for you to keep your distance from him, at least until he comes to terms with himself."

"Hm..." I ponder needlessly, scratching my chin. "Tough love, huh?"

Yui, who was staying quietly this entire time, suddenly becomes very animated. Bouncing in her seat, clenching her fists in determination, she looks Mugi right in the eyes with vigor.

"That's too cruel, Mugi!" She says, getting up. "Ritsu can't give up even before she even tries!"

I can't really hide my surprise at Yui's outburst. Mugi raises her hands in defense, looking quite startled herself.

"I-I know, Yui, but what is she supposed to do?" Mugi answers. "If she tries to force things with Conrad, they might end up worse off than they are already! I think that story made it abundantly clear that Conrad doesn't deal with pressure very well."

Azsua clears her throat, as if to draw attention to herself. She blushes once all eyes on her, and she stumbles a bit with her words at first.

"W-well, to be honest, I have to agree with Yui on this one." Asuza interjects, looking at Mugi. "Ritsu said herself that Conrad is going to leave again when the reunion is over. He hasn't even bothered to give you his contact information, has he? I would say that's a bad sign."

"Huh? How do you know about that?" I ask, not remembering talk about that issue.

"Oh, uh... y-you said so before." She replies, looking a bit nervous.

"I did?" I ask, honestly confused.

"Yeah! A-anyway, there's no guarantee that Conrad is even going to be reachable if and when he manages to turn things around. Everything considered, I don't think we should be telling Ritsu to hesitate now that Conrad is finally in her reach." She explains, donning a more serious expression.

"Yeah! She should grab hold of him while she can, and never let go!" Yui asserts, backing up Azusa.

"Uh... essentially yeah." Azusa agrees, chuckling. "Call it... intuition, but I really think Conrad is capable of finding that inner confidence. I'm not so sure he can do it without Ritsu, though."

Mugi looks like she wants to speak up, but even she looked to be in some agreement with Azusa's encouragements.

"You think so?" I ask earnestly. "Am I really that important?"

"Yes! If we want Conrad to be more confident, then you should be as well!" She pleads, smiling. "You give him the opportunity, and I'm certain Conrad will take care of the rest."

...Wow. You know, if Azusa is capable to trusting Conrad in ways that I couldn't, then something _must_ be wrong. All of my doubts aside, whatever bad outcome could come from of all this, I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself if I didn't try my best to make things work with Conrad.

I need to be more honest with myself, and let him know exactly how I feel.

"You're right, Azusa. This isn't the time to get stuck on my doubts; I'm going to try my best tonight to work things out with Conrad. Whatever happens happens; at least I can say I tried my best."

Mugi once again goes to speak, but seems to take a moment, silencing herself. She sighs slightly before continuing.

"...Well then, I suppose we should try our best too, then?" She declares, looking at my friends.

Mugi is met with a multitude of warm smiles, all looking satisfied with our conclusion.

You know, as much as I dreaded this discussion, this really did help clear things up. Maybe _Conrad_ isn't the only one who needs to learn to open up...

Yui, looking particularly satisfied, hums a tune as she sits down next to me, draping her arm over my shoulders.

"Make sure to not be _too_ confident, though~" She laughs. "Or else everyone at the reunion is gonna be watching you two smooching'!"

"H-huh?!" I say, not really able to manage much else.

"Awww, Richan!" Yui grins at me, making a heart sign with her hands. "It's okay, we all know You wove him so muwch!"

"Why you... cheeky little..." I growl, reaching over to my right.

Picking up one of the pillows from the bed, I smush it into Yui's face. Being as sleepy as she was, she fails to dodge completely, producing a muffled shriek as the pillow makes a direct hit. Standing up from the bed, I cackle triumphantly. Soon enough though, Yui stands up too and pouts.

Somehow past experience is telling me to take cover...

A pillow soon whizzes past my face, Yui's toss barely missing. I stumble backwards, but trip on something. My balance was now completely gone, and I was now falling backwards onto the bed... directly onto Mio.

"Jeez! Ritsuuu!" Mio yells, trying her best to push me off of her. I'd like to say I'm doing my part, but I'm kinda too busy laughing.

Mio, apparently fed up with me, grabs her own pillow and smacks me across the face with it. Tumbling off the bed and onto the floor, Yui pounces on top of me and starts attacking me with another pillow. As one might expect, It didn't take long before Mugi joined in on the fun, and started throwing pillows herself.

Soon enough, the whole room was engulfed in a epic pillow fight.

...even though Mio was only trying to break us up, and Azusa was only dragged into it because of Yui.

Though the room was full of quiet conversation and storytelling just a few minutes earlier, by now you couldn't really hear anything but shrieks and laughter. I'm having some serious deja-vu.

Was this seriously happening? I'm twenty one years old... and we're having a _pillow fight?_

That's a relief.

As much fun as I'm having, the door to our room opens again, just as I was about to let fly a pillow towards Mugi. Unfortunately, the person walking in _this time_ was much less friendly a face than Yui or Azusa.

Looking up towards the door, everyone freezes.

"I tell you girls to get a good night's rest, and _this_ is what I arrive to?" Miss Nakamura greets us, looking less than happy. "Remember what I said about creating a professional work environment?"

Welp, I'm _really_ glad I didn't throw that last pillow. Mugi was standing right in front of the door, just like back during our school trip. Sawako-sensei may have really chewed me out back then, but I'd much rather hit _her_ with a pillow than _this_ _woman_.

Mio and Azusa, as usual, were the first to jump to her feet and bow deeply. The rest of us, well, we took our time.

"S-sorry, ma'am!" Mio says, her voice shaking a bit. "We got a bit distracted, as you can probably tell..."

"Indeed." Our manager replies simply, before looking at her watch. "In any case, I need you all to pull yourselves together, okay? We've got a photo-shoot in an hour, remember?"

"Awww!" Yui says, looking a bit down.

"How could we forget?" I sigh, stretching. "That damn photo-shoot is the reason we couldn't enjoy a nice sleep at home..."

"Ritsu!" Mio snaps at me, nudging me in the side.

"It can't be helped." Nakamura states in a monotone voice.

I sigh. She never was one to talk much. As energetic as I was earlier, my body felt pretty damn heavy at the moment. I shuffle over to the bed, and sit myself down on it. Back to the grind, huh.

"Hm... maybe I _should_ have let you girls go home. You look pretty tired there, Tainaka-san." Nakamura admits. "You too, Nakano-san. You look like you didn't get much sleep either."

"Y-yeah. Don't worry about it." Azusa smiles, though it looks pretty forced. Nakamura seems to pick up on this, and rubs her temples.

"Well, I'd allow it more often if it wasn't such a hassle to organize you all; It's like I'm dealing with children sometimes."

"D-don't you think that's going a little too far?" Mio mumbles, looking embarrassed.

"Is it?" Nakamura responds quickly. "Didn't I_ just_ walk in on you all having a pillow fight?"

Mio doesn't respond, smiling guiltily instead. She might have a point there, after all...

The room was now back to being silent, though it felt a lot more uncomfortable now than before; and that's saying a lot.

Sighing heavily, Nakamura claps her hands together.

"Alright girls. If you're all ready, let's get going." She announces, walking towards the door.

"Uh..." Yui starts, smiling sheepishly. "Nakamura-saaan..."

"...we'll grab some breakfast on the way there." Nakamura stops her, giving her a knowing look. Yui sends back a satisfied smile, and even in my bad mood I have to laugh. As strict as she was, Nakamura sure knew what she was doing.

As we leave the hotel room for less comfortable destinations, my mind wanders back to the discussion we had earlier.

Y'know, I'm pretty surprised I was able to muster up the will to talk about that stuff. Conrad _is_ someone I care for, and I _do_ trust him... but if there's one thing we have in common, it's anxiety. My doubts, as much as I hated them, were still lurking in my brain. Was Conrad still the same guy that I fell in love with years earlier? Was I just making another mistake?

Shit. Now that I think about it, he _already_ ran away after I told him to stay yesterday. That doesn't really make things look any better.

Where _was_ that goofball right now, anyway? He better be doing something damn important, cause I'm practically pulling out my hair here...

* * *

_**~FERGUSON RESIDENCE~**_

"..."

*cough*

"..."

The clattering of dishes from the kitchen, the shuffling of slippers across the floor, the rustling of fabrics; Akane was busying herself in the kitchen, apparently.

*cough*

...even my Dad's old habit kept making itself known, as he cleared his throat for what felt like the _hundredth_ time since we sat down. I was being bombarded by a whole plethora of nostalgic sounds, although it was mostly the two familiar _faces_ in front of me that were causing me the most grief.

Well, that and my headache. And yes, that would be a _hangover_ headache.

Yeah... I fucked up again.

My alcohol problem aside, as uncomfortable I was feeling right now, I can't imagine it's much better on _their_ end.

I mean really, Conrad? Barely speaking with your _Dad_, pretty much your only family, for _years_? I know this is something I should have realized beforehand, but whatever embarrassment or pride I saved myself from not facing him earlier is_ clearly_ not worth what I was feeling now.

Hell, even when they tried to visit me tin Canada, they couldn't tack me down because I kept my address private, even from family. Y'know, I never really thought about how much of a recluse I had become. Now that I'm in front of the very people I had avoided so frantically, it's hard not to think about these sort of things.

A hot beverage is placed in front of me. I recognize the smell immediately; the same tea Akane often served me when I studied... er, _said_ I was studying.

"I really like your new haircut, Conrad" Akane smiles at me, sitting down next to my Dad. "Short hair looks good on you."

"Uh, y-yeah. Thanks." I reply, squirming a bit in my seat. "It was Ritsu's idea."

Well, this certainly wasn't how I expected this discussion to begin. I foresaw... something more like that time Rudy and I had drunken ourselves into a stupor. Y'know, awkward breakfast, maybe followed by some scolding. Then again, there's a big difference between being a dumb teenager and being a dumb _adult_. I had a feeling that I was about to be raked over the coals; to an extent that my past experiences couldn't come close to.

"Hmm. Ritsu, huh?" My Dad finally begins, scratching his beard another one of his habits. "Is she also the reason you decided to finally come back?"

I nod, not really wanting to divulge anything more.

"Well... I'm glad you finally got around to seeing her. Although, I thought you'd come _here_ first, frankly. I figured it was about time we talked things out properly, and not... y'know, for you get drunk of your ass again."

"Yeah... my bad, Dad." I reply, sighing. "I wanted to talk too, but I was really nervous. I figured I'd get a few drinks with my friend so I could calm my nerves... but things got out of hand, apparently."

I say_ apparently _because I woke up this morning in my old bedroom, barely able to remember anything of last night; an all too familiar feeling for me, unfortunately. Akane told me that a friend of mine dropped me off, so I guess Tanaka brought me here from the bar once I got out of control. Why he didn't take me back to my hotel room is beyond me; this is _definitely_ not how I wanted to re-introduce myself to my parents.

"Out of hand? _That's_ an understatement." Dad chuckles. "Akane tells me you had _puke_ on your shirt. What in god's name made you nervous enough to go that far, Conrad?"

I can't help but stare at my Dad in disbelief. What does he _think_ made me so nervous?

"Well, I mean... shit, Dad." I say eventually, not really sure how to begin. "I dropped out of school, wasted all that tuition you'd saved up for me, I moved out of Uncle Cal's house... and then I proceeded to maintain the most _bare_ minimum of contact with you, for_ years_. How the hell could I _not_ be nervous about seeing you in person?"

Dad and Akane share a look, but I can't exactly decipher what is. Akane in particular was looking like she wanted to jump in badly. The desire gets the best of her; apparently, as she cuts my dad off as he goes to reply.

"We're not angry with you Conrad." Akane begins, leaning forward in her seat.

"We're _kind of _angry." My dad corrects her, looking somewhat amused.

Akane returns the look with a bit of frustration, but continues anyway.

"We're mostly... confused. All we wanted to do since you dropped out was to get you back _here_, so that we could help! But you refused to talk things out with us, and kept insisting on living on your own!" She says, looking quite concerned. "If anything, we're just glad you're back!"

A silence forms, as Akane looks back to my dad, as if to signal that she had said her piece.

"...Yeah." My dad grunts, then taking a moment to think. "Look, Conrad..."

MY dad pauses.

"You not taking school seriously, getting shitty grades, dropping out without even consulting me, _drinking all the time_... I think I have plenty of reasons to be _pissed off_."

Ah, shit. Here comes the chewing out. Lay it on me pops; I deserve it.

"But your mother _is_ right; we're confused more than anything. Confused as to how you thought hiding away in that cramped apartment and working a shitty nine-to-five job was going to change anything."

Well, he seems calmer than I expected, at least. In a weird way, I'm kind of sad; I was hoping he'd just... yell my guilt away? Though it's that sort of naivety that got me here in the first place, I suppose.

"I'm not sure I was really trying to _change_ anything. I know there's no way I can pay you back on my salary, and it sure as hell aint getting any bigger. I just... I just figured at least If I could stay out of your guys' hair, I wouldn't end up being a burden." I explain, looking down at the tea I was given. In the reflection of the tea, I could see my expression was doing nothing to hide my depressed state.

My dad shakes his head, letting a few tense chuckles escape.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about Conrad? Do you honestly think we see you that way? A _burden_?" He asks, eyes wide in surprise.

"Well, at _my_ age? I figure a drunken dropout son kind of fits that definition, yeah. Besides, what the heck was I going to do if I came back here? You think an uneducated gaijin like me is gonna get a job? I didn't really see it as much of a choice."

My dad, still looking at me in disbelief, buries his face in his hands.

"Conrad, I know you messed up, but _anything_ would have been better than just giving up and shutting yourself away! You want to know know what hurts more than seeing you struggle like this? Not being able to **help you**!" He shouts, looking more than a bit exasperated with me.

"But Dad, I..." I try to reply.

"But nothing! Everyone makes mistakes Conrad, but that doesn't mean you have to deal with them by yourself! Me, your mother... your poor girlfriend for Christ's sake; all we wanted to do was help you! So **let us, **Goddamnit!"

My dad leans back into his seat and sighs, as if to signal the end of his outburst.

I let my dad's words sink into me; words that I figured I knew all too well. Of course I knew they were willing to help me... but I figured... they didn't know what was best for them...

Hell, do _I_ know what's best for me? Looking at my sullen parents, I can't say I exactly do. I was trying so hard to be unselfish, but from all that I've seen ever since Ritsu reached out to me... it's seemed the exact opposite was true.

I need to change.

"Conrad..." My dad starts again, now calmer. "I know you think that I have all these expectations of you, but...what I really want is for you to be _happy_. School or not, over here or not; whatever path you choose for yourself is fine by me. So stop worrying about what we expect of you, and start cutting yourself a little slack!"

"Jeez dad... I..." I pause, unable to really find the right words.

"..._thanks_."

That'll do, I suppose.

"Just promise me we're done with all this brooding loner stuff... alright?" My dad smiles slightly. "A frown doesn't suit you."

"Alright..." I reply, smiling warmly in return.

Akane nudges my dad in the side, and gives him a strange look. Dad seems to pick up on something, as his smile fades slightly.

"And the drinking." My adds. "It stops, too."

My face heats up in embarrassment. "_Right."_

"And the smoking." He adds.

"Mhm!" I smile nervously, not even knowing how my dad knew about that. "I think Ritsu's gonna force me to quit anyways..."

My mom perks up, leaning forward a bit.

"Oh Conrad, speaking of your girlfriend..." My mom gets up, walking over to the hall closet. Pulling out a box from inside, she places it in front of me.

"She wanted us to give these to you, but we couldn't since we didn't know your address." Akane looks at me sternly. "She went to all this trouble to get you souvenirs, and all I could tell her was that my stepson had become a social recluse."

I cringe at the description, particularly the feeling of accuracy I felt towards it. Go me...

Opening up the cardboard box, I look inside. The contents were all sorts of colorful and cool souvenirs from all around Japan... Hokkaido, Kyoto, Osaka, Kyushu... I suppose is the fruits of all her touring with the band. She really... kept me in mind, didn't she?

"How many times did she visit?" I ask, feeling a twinge of guilt.

"Once for every souvenir." My dad replies, taking a look into the box. "You do the math."

Sifting through the box, I start to lose count fairly quickly. Mixed in with the souvenirs was a copy of pretty much every CD release the girls had made. There were quite a few, though I'm unashamed to admit that I already had a copy of each one.

At the bottom of the box were some notes, asking me simple questions about my life, and whether it'd be okay for us to... talk again.

That's it. Her words never came across as strained or impatient... just simple, unassuming, friendly notes.

Just what the hell was I thinking, leaving a girl like this?

I could feel some tears build up in my eyes, but I brush them away.

"Well... she's my _ex-girlfriend_, now." I say, sighing. "Though I suppose that's not very surprising, is it?"

"Wel, in a way it is." Akane replies, looking a bit melancholic. "Whenever she visited us to check up on news of you... she never showed signs on giving up on you."

"Really?" I ask, almost guiltily.

"Well, she never _stopped_ visiting." She replies, smiling. "I'd say that's impressive, for a busy celebrity like her."

"It is." I add simply. "Thought she might have just felt responsible for me; I'd hate to be her if I had offed myself or something..."

My mom covers her mouth in shock. "Conrad! Don't say such things!"

My dad facepalms, but then looks at me more seriously.

"What did we say about dark humor and your mom?" He asks, shaking his head.

"Right..." I laugh. "All I'm saying is that, I wouldn't expect her to want us to get back together."

"So you're saying you don't know?" He asks, looking a bit impatient. "Weren't you just with her? Have you two not even talked things out yet?"

"No..." I answer, sighing yet again. "I dipped out while she was performing, but I'll see her tonight at the class reunion."

My dad returns to facepalming, but Akane leans forward again in surprise.

"Well get going to her then! _We_ can wait, but you and Ritsu should have figured things out _years_ ago!" She asserts, visually getting worked up. "Don't make her wait any longer, Conrad!"

Pulling me up from the couch, I get dragged over to the front door. My dad just follows his wife, chuckling.

"The reunion is still hours away! What the heck am I supposed to do?" I ask, feeling a bit nervous.

"Find her! What else?" She answers, giving me another nudge towards the door. My dad moves ahead, and opens it for me, motioning me out.

"I'd like to chat, but Akane is right. You have more pressing matters to attend to." He says, moving away from the door. "Go find Ritsu, and bow in apology until your nose touches the floor."

"I'm all for that, but just how do you think I'm going to do that? I don't even have her cell number!" I protest, frankly wanting nothing more than to nurse my hangover in bed.

"Why don't you ask your friend who dropped you off?" My dad suggests, leaning against the wall.

"Who, Tanaka? He's not the most social guy; I don't think he'd be able to help me with this." I contest, looking longingly around my parents, into the comfortable and quiet house.

"Tanaka? No, It wasn't him; a girl dropped you off!" My mom puts her hands on her hips. "I think she said her name was... Azusa?"

"WAIT, WHAT?!" I shout, not being able to manage anything else.

Just what the fuck was I doing with _Azusa_ last night? Last thing I remember was having a bit too much beer with Tanaka. I remember trying to drunk-dial Ritsu, but luckily shes changed her old number. Hell, it's been so long, I doubt anyone's contact info was still the sa-

Wait.

Flipping open my phone, I scroll quickly to my call history.

After a slew of failed attempts at reaching Ritsu, my most recent call... was apparently a fairly long conversation with none other than Azusa Nakano.

**SHIT.**

"Well, I guess I found my link to Ritsu..." I say, dumbfounded. Just what the hell did drunk me go on for so long?

"Azusa didn't _say_ anything, did she?"I add nervously.

"Nothing notable... though she did seem quite agitated." My mom recalls. "Can't really blame her; she was practically carrying you back home. I can't imagine that'd be pleasant for a girl as small as her."

Carried?! Well, I can't say that's what I wanted to hear...

As my parents prod me out the door, offering encouraging farewells all the while (and perhaps more importantly money for a cab), I find myself shielding my eyes from the bright sun, still quite hungover.

Walking away from my old home, I groan at the night I most likely had ahead of me. Not that I had any right to complain, being the sole reason I was in this mess in the first place. If anything, I should be thanking my lucky stars that my parents are so patient with me. As shitty as I feel right now, I wasn't about to disappoint them again. I need to stop stressing about every little thing, and just find a way for me and Ritsu to put an end to all this nonsense. Whether that end signifies the start of something new... well, that was entirely up to her.

Whatever the outcome, my only hope is that one day I can wake up, and my thoughts of her amounting to more than just pain and regrets. I have to make up for what I've done, even if it takes me the rest of my life.

Pulling out my cellphone again, I look at it in disgust. Sheesh, there is _nothing_ worse than a depressed, chatty drunk.

Beginning to dial in the numbers for Azusa's cell, my mind begins to wander as I slow down out of nervousness.

What the heck did even say to her... I can just imagine her with Ritsu right now, telling her in detail about all my drunken ramblings. I can practically see Ritsu's exasperated face, as the last bit of respect for me is washed away.

The thought causes my fingers to speed up in dialing. I've gotta get this situation under control!

Listening to the ringing on the other end, one particular thought floats to the front of my stressed and hungover mind.

Let's hope I was a _happy_ drunk.

* * *

**Welp, Conrad may think he's changed over the years, but you can always count on him making questionable decisions! Usually whilst imbibed... Sigh.**

**So, as I said, there is one more chapter left in this 'epilogue'. I hope to offer you guys some closure, and I'm taking my time planning things just for that reason.**

**If all goes well, I'll be talking to you guys in the coming week!**

**Cheers.**


End file.
